Social Prescribing
What Is It?
Social prescribing is a holistic approach to healthcare that connects patients with local, non-clinical community services to address the broader social and environmental factors that affect their health. Rather than treating only medical symptoms, it recognizes that wellbeing is shaped by factors like loneliness, food security, finances, and access to meaningful activity.
Who Is It For?
Social prescribing is designed for two groups:
- Health providers — doctors, nurse practitioners, and interprofessional teams who want a formal pathway to refer patients to community-based supports.
- Patients and clients — individuals who could benefit from building new skills, engaging in meaningful activities, and strengthening their connection to the community.
What Does a Social Prescription Look Like?
Prescriptions are tailored to each client’s interests, goals, and circumstances. Examples include:
- Joining an exercise or fitness group
- Receiving a Good Food Box for food security support
- Taking an art, music, or dance class
- Participating in a community garden
- Joining a bereavement or peer support network
- Exploring local hiking trails with a group
- Volunteering to visit older adults in the community
How to Access It
Social prescribing begins with a referral from a health provider, using the familiar process of writing a prescription. From there, dedicated support is provided to help remove barriers — whether economic, geographic, interpersonal, or psychological — so that clients can meaningfully participate.
The goal
The goal is to listen deeply, provide the necessary supports, and empower individuals as active co-creators of their own health and wellbeing.
Health equity is central to this approach. Effective social prescribing means actively dismantling the barriers that prevent people from accessing care and community — not just making referrals.
_________________
