Earlier this year, Arrow Primary Care Network awarded their Social Prescribing Service contract to Primary Integrated Community Services (PICS). PICS will be recruiting five new Social Prescribers to provide the service from April 2023.
Arrow Primary Care Network (PCN) are expanding their Social Prescribing Service significantly and have developed an innovative new model within Nottinghamshire that aims to achieve ‘maximum gains for patients’. From April 2023, support will increase from 1.5 Link Workers to a team of five, and instead of working across groups of Practices, the roles will be embedded within them.
The specialist approach of Social Prescribing is proven to improve lives by addressing some of the non-medical causes of ill health and poor mental health. Individuals are empowered to achieve their own health-related goals through support to tackle loneliness, isolation, low mood, low confidence, worry or strain.
Part of the South Notts Place Based Partnership, Arrow Primary Care Network (PCN) supports a population of 44,000 people cared for by five Surgeries across Gedling, Burton Joyce & Carlton. The roles are being recruited by Primary Integrated Community Services (PICS), who currently employ 30 Social Prescribing Link Workers supporting a population of nearly 450,000 Nottinghamshire residents.
Dr Umar Ahmad, Clinical Director for the PCN explains: “We’re really excited by the positive difference our expanded Social Prescribing service will make. We are bringing the Social Prescribers into the General Practice surgeries, fully integrating them to get maximum gains for patients. We hope to be trailblazers for the way social prescribing works across Nottinghamshire.”
Stephen Andersen, PICS Business Development Manager said: “We’re really pleased to be expanding our offer into Arrow PCN and working closely with the member Practices to offer over 44,000 residents non-medical support. Our Social Prescribing approach is highly effective in helping people improve their lives, while reducing pressure on GPs.”