More than £321,000 of funding has been awarded to NHS Lanarkshire following a bid to NHS Charities Together to enhance social prescribing across North Lanarkshire and develop social prescribing arrangements in East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire.
Social prescribing, sometimes referred to as community referral, is a support service which enables GPs, nurses and other health and care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services and help support individuals to take greater control of their own health.
This welcome funding from NHS Charities Together will allow both North and South HSCPs to work with third sector partners to enhance the delivery of social prescribing and develop a further understanding of the needs of local residents, where there are gaps and what are the priority areas for people across both areas.
Gillian Lindsay, Health Improvement Lead for South Lanarkshire HSCP, said: “The bid to NHS Charities Together for funding to support the delivery of a social prescribing programme recognised that both HSCP areas are currently at different stages of social prescribing development and that additional funding would allow a tailored approach for North and South Lanarkshire which would best suit their individual needs, while still building Lanarkshire’s overall capacity.
“We are delighted that NHS Charities Together recognised there was a different model required for both HSCPs but that ultimately both have the same goal – to deliver a model of service that puts local people at the heart of what we are working to achieve including supporting recovery from the pandemic by helping individuals to take control of their health through a range of support available locally.“
The bid for funding included a range of unique services which would be developed by both HSCP following the recruitment of two Development Officers, one for each area, who will work to ensure there is a clear, simple, easy, direct referral process that allows Lanarkshire residents to easily access the services and activities they need to create and sustain good health and wellbeing.
Martin Hill, Chair of NHS Lanarkshire added: “We are delighted that NHS Charities Together has provided us with funding totalling £321,006 to support the health and wellbeing of residents across Lanarkshire.“
The outcomes of this project will contribute to the National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes laid out in the two HSCPs’ respective Strategic Plans and Strategic Commissioning Plans.
Specifically the project will most significantly contribute to people improving their own health and wellbeing and living in good health for longer; helping to maintain and for some individuals improve their quality of life and help reduce health inequalities.
