Social prescribers gather for networking event
On Wednesday 14th December 2022, our first social prescriber peer networking event was held at Endeavour House in Torquay. Hosted by Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT) and the Devon Mental Health Alliance (DMHA), the purpose of the event was to create a sustainable social prescribing peer network in which to share knowledge, and provide a space to reflect.
Social prescribing bridges many roles and organisations. It is designed to support people with a wide range of social, emotional, and practical needs, focused on improving mental health and physical wellbeing. Those who benefit from social prescribing include people with mild or long-term mental health problems, other complex needs, people who are socially isolated, and those with multiple long-term conditions who frequently attend either primary or secondary healthcare settings.
Social prescribing features as a key aim of the Community Mental Health Framework (CMHF), emphasising the need to enable and support community connection via social prescribers, peer support, volunteer networks, and navigator roles.
Ali Kingdon, Locality Change Co-ordinator for South & West Devon at DPT, commented about the event: “After expecting around 20 attendees, on the day we had 33 people join us which was amazing. Our group was made up of social prescribers, recovery practitioners, health coaches, and support workers. The group shared the purpose of social prescribing, its advantages, challenges, and barriers. After a networking lunch kindly provided by the Devon Mental Health Alliance, the group reconvened for a reflective practice session with the Devon Wellbeing Hub.”
Ed Foreman, Locality Manager for Exeter, East & Mid Devon at the DMHA, attended the event together with Sarah Knight, a Recovery Practitioner. Following the event, Ed shared his thoughts: “It was great to meet such a variety of professionals, all of whom are incredibly passionate about what they do. There was an excellent debate about how we can work together more closely and share resources — this really embodies what the CMHF is about.”
More social prescribing networking sessions are being planned, along with quarterly sessions where training, guest speakers, and ongoing networking will be facilitated. For more information, please contact James White at jwhite26@nhs.net.