Agenda item

Resolved: the committee agreed the draft report and recommendations, subject to the amendments noted in the minutes, and resolved to refer them to Mayor and Cabinet at the earliest opportunity.

The full list of agreed recommendations is set out below:

Section: Community and voluntary-sector organisations

1.    Given the importance of those involved in social prescribing, both prescribers and providers, building a better understanding of the usefulness and effectiveness of different referrals and interventions for different people and different needs, the committee recommends that following up on referrals and gathering feedback from all parties becomes a compulsory part of the Community Connections referral process. This would allow GPs and other organisations better understand each referral and better target social prescribing interventions.

Section: Evidence of effectiveness

2.    The committee notes that there is evidence of the effectiveness of social prescribing interventions in the borough. However, given that there is still a significant lack of a coherent body of evidence, generally and locally, the committee recommends that officers look into ways of building a more comprehensive database of evidence and feedback. This should include statistical analysis of wellbeing outcomes where available, but it should also include patient-reported feedback and case studies.

3.    In order to build a more comprehensive database of statistical data the committee also recommends that officers look into the possibility of drawing up a set of clear outcome measures for social prescribing interventions, which could be reported on and shared with health and care partners, particularly GPs and services users. The committee suggests that it may be helpful to link this information to the Lewisham health and social care directory of services so that prescribers, providers and service users can view it when searching for services.

Section: Gaps in provision and awareness

4.    Given the evidence the committee has received on the loneliness rates among people with learning disability and the rates of mental ill health among young adults, and the long-term health impacts of these, the committee recommends that Lewisham health and care partners pay particular attention to addressing the gaps in support for young adults with learning disability, men’s groups and those experiencing mental ill health.

5.    There is evidence that existing services in the borough need more support with capacity building, and the committee recommends that Lewisham health and care partners continue to help with this, but the committee also recommends that officers also explore appropriate opportunities to work with national and neighbouring borough services. 

6.    Given that lack of awareness and knowledge of social prescribing among GPs appears to be acting as a barrier to its wider use, the committee recommends that Lewisham health and care partners focus on raising awareness of social prescribing, including evidence of effectiveness, among GPs and the wider clinical community as a priority.

7.    One measure that should be further explored is locating more social prescribing representatives in key GP practices. Without high levels of awareness among the GP community, people will miss opportunities to access activities and support which could help them. And without high levels of awareness and use by GPs, officers will be unable to accurately assess local gaps and the effectiveness of particular interventions.

8.    The committee also notes the concern that organisations which signpost people can end up adding an extra step to the patient’s journey and recommends that Lewisham health and care partners ensure that any social prescribing mechanism developed is as quick and easy-to-use as possible, for both prescribers and service users.

John Bardens (Scrutiny Manager) introduced the report. The following key points were noted:

4.1       On draft recommendation 8, the committee noted that not all organisations are able to afford to pay for their own link worker and that link arrangements should be appropriate to the scale and nature of the organisation.

4.2       Officers noted that Community Connections, which signposts people, also supports smaller organisations to change to be able to accept social prescribing referrals, therefore expanding the social prescribing offer available to residents. 

4.3       On draft recommendation 8, the committee agreed to replace “organisations set up to signpost” with “organisations which signpost” and to delete the word "simply".

4.4       The committee considered whether social prescribing could be embedded within Lewisham CCG's commissioning intentions so that organisations that wish to be providers would have to have their own social prescribing offer or take part in the council's offer.

4.5       On draft recommendation 4, the committee agreed to include "men's groups" as one of the groups to pay particular attention to when addressing gaps in social prescribing activities.

Resolved: the committee agreed the draft report and recommendations, subject to the amendments noted in the minutes, and resolved to refer them to Mayor and Cabinet at the earliest opportunity.

The full list of agreed recommendations is set out below:

Section: Community and voluntary-sector organisations

1.    Given the importance of those involved in social prescribing, both prescribers and providers, building a better understanding of the usefulness and effectiveness of different referrals and interventions for different people and different needs, the committee recommends that following up on referrals and gathering feedback from all parties becomes a compulsory part of the Community Connections referral process. This would allow GPs and other organisations better understand each referral and better target social prescribing interventions.

Section: Evidence of effectiveness

2.    The committee notes that there is evidence of the effectiveness of social prescribing interventions in the borough. However, given that there is still a significant lack of a coherent body of evidence, generally and locally, the committee recommends that officers look into ways of building a more comprehensive database of evidence and feedback. This should include statistical analysis of wellbeing outcomes where available, but it should also include patient-reported feedback and case studies.

3.    In order to build a more comprehensive database of statistical data the committee also recommends that officers look into the possibility of drawing up a set of clear outcome measures for social prescribing interventions, which could be reported on and shared with health and care partners, particularly GPs and services users. The committee suggests that it may be helpful to link this information to the Lewisham health and social care directory of services so that prescribers, providers and service users can view it when searching for services.

Section: Gaps in provision and awareness

4.    Given the evidence the committee has received on the loneliness rates among people with learning disability and the rates of mental ill health among young adults, and the long-term health impacts of these, the committee recommends that Lewisham health and care partners pay particular attention to addressing the gaps in support for young adults with learning disability, men’s groups and those experiencing mental ill health.

5.    There is evidence that existing services in the borough need more support with capacity building, and the committee recommends that Lewisham health and care partners continue to help with this, but the committee also recommends that officers also explore appropriate opportunities to work with national and neighbouring borough services. 

6.    Given that lack of awareness and knowledge of social prescribing among GPs appears to be acting as a barrier to its wider use, the committee recommends that Lewisham health and care partners focus on raising awareness of social prescribing, including evidence of effectiveness, among GPs and the wider clinical community as a priority.

7.    One measure that should be further explored is locating more social prescribing representatives in key GP practices. Without high levels of awareness among the GP community, people will miss opportunities to access activities and support which could help them. And without high levels of awareness and use by GPs, officers will be unable to accurately assess local gaps and the effectiveness of particular interventions.

8.    The committee also notes the concern that organisations which signpost people can end up adding an extra step to the patient’s journey and recommends that Lewisham health and care partners ensure that any social prescribing mechanism developed is as quick and easy-to-use as possible, for both prescribers and service users.