Global developments in social prescribing
BMJ Global Health, vol. 7, pp. e008524
Abstract
Social prescribing is an approach that aims to improve health and well-being. It connects individuals to non-clinical services and supports that address social needs, such as those related to loneliness, housing instability and mental health. At the person level, social prescribing can give individuals the knowledge, skills, motivation and confidence to manage their own health and well-being. At the society level, it can facilitate greater collaboration across health, social, and community sectors to promote integrated care and move beyond the traditional biomedical model of health. While the term social prescribing was first popularised in the UK, this practice has become more prevalent and widely publicised internationally over the last decade. This paper aims to illuminate the ways social prescribing has been conceptualised and implemented across 17 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. We draw from the 'Beyond the Building Blocks' framework to describe the essential inputs for adopting social prescribing into policy and practice, related to service delivery; social determinants and household production of health; workforce; leadership and governance; financing, community organisations and societal partnerships; health technology; and information, learning and accountability. Cross-cutting lessons can inform country and regional efforts to tailor social prescribing models to best support local needs.
Authors 24
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Affiliation as printed
Social Prescribing USA, Austin, Texas, USA
Social Prescribing USA
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Affiliation as printed
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Harvard Medical School
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Affiliation as printed
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
University of Toronto
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford Nuffield, Oxford, UK
Department of Primary Care Health Sciences
University of Oxford Nuffield
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Affiliation as printed
University of East London, London, UK
University of East London
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Affiliation as printed
National Academy for Social Prescribing, London, UK
National Academy for Social Prescribing
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Affiliation as printed
University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
University of Melbourne
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Affiliation as printed
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Lisbon, Portugal
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública
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Affiliation as printed
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences
University of Oxford
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Affiliation as printed
Consumers Health Forum of Australia, Deakin, Victoria, Australia
Consumers Health Forum of Australia
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Peking University · National Clinical Research
Affiliation as printed
National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders
Peking University Institute of Mental Health
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Yonsei University Mirae Campus
Affiliation as printed
Health Administration, Yonsei University-Wonju Campus, Wonju, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
Health Administration
Yonsei University-Wonju Campus
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Unidade Local de Saúde de São José
Affiliation as printed
Central Lisbon Health Centre Cluster, Lisbon, Portugal
Central Lisbon Health Centre Cluster
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Jan Joost Meijs Aachen
Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
Leiden University Medical Centre
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea
Department of Preventive Medicine
Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine
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SingHealth Community Hospitals
Affiliation as printed
SingHealth Community Hospitals, Singapore
SingHealth Community Hospitals
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Affiliation as printed
University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK
University of South Wales
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Affiliation as printed
University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK
University of South Wales
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Affiliation as printed
University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
University of Barcelona
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Department of Medical Gerontology
Trinity College Dublin
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Affiliation as printed
Lapland Hospital District, Rovaniemi, Finland
Lapland Hospital District
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Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Affiliation as printed
Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
Aarhus University
Department of Public Health
Research Unit for General Practice
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Kerryn Husk corresponding
Affiliation as printed
University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
University of Plymouth
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