Social prescribing 'has changed my life'

Andy Hughes, from Nuneaton, says social prescribing has "changed his life" after he found himself in a mental health crisis 18 months ago.

"I was in a really bad way, I had gone downhill mentally. I thought it was something I could beat myself and something that the tablets could cure."

"I'd become isolated".

His GP referred him to the Nuneaton and Bedworth Social Prescribing team and he now takes part in gardening groups, walk-and-talk sessions and volunteering.

The 56-year-old said he had suffered from depression and anxiety most of his life but that it had been manageable up until 18 months ago.

Hughes gave up work to try to give himself the time and space to recover, but that made his mental health problems worse.

He said: "I thought it would be good for me to take myself out of the work situation.

"For a while it was, but then you notice the negative affects of being isolated.

"You just become isolated from the world. You're doom scrolling half of the day. I'd got no purpose anymore."

Hughes says he begged his GP for something other than more tablets to help get him back on his feet.

That's when he met the social prescribing team.

He said: "At my first WorkWell session, I was extremely anxious. I was on the verge of a panic attack and ready to bolt. But the team sat me down, calmed me, and supported me to stay.

"That moment was a turning point. I knew then that I had to try, even though it felt daunting."

Through simple activities like gardening groups, walk-and-talk sessions and volunteering, he gradually rebuilt confidence, routine and social connection.

Social prescribing is paid for through the NHS and was introduced by the government in 2019. 7 years later, there are now 3,300 link workers in England.

The National Academy for Social Prescribing says that over one million people a year are now being referred by GPs to social prescribing services.

Karen Ashby is the Lead for Social Prescribing for the Nuneaton and Bedworth Primary Care Network, and said their own statistics show they are making a difference to people's lives and to the NHS.

"Fantastically, it has a huge impact on people's well-being. The scoring we use shows there's around a 40% increase in someone's well-being following a social prescribing intervention.

"But also from our data it's brought GP contacts down by 68%, so if you think about the impact that's also having on GP practice, that's freeing up GP time to spend on other things," Ashby explained.

Hughes is keen to encourage others to take up any offer of support from the social prescribing team.

"If you feel like you are struggling I would say, if you get offered it, give it a chance. Because it's changed my life.

"You feel like, not only are you getting support but you feel like you're part of the process of supporting other people as well - which is massive for you.

"It helps where medicine can't help. It just does."