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Social Prescribing Service
Meet the Eastleigh Health PCN Social Prescribers
What is Social Prescribing?
Social Prescribing Link Workers connect patients to community-based support. This includes activities and services that meet the practical, social and emotional needs that can affect an individual’s health and wellbeing. They can also connect patients to statutory services for example housing, financial and welfare advice.
Link Workers are a key part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) across primary care. They can provide more time and will focus on what matters to you. They take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, empowering you to take control of your life.
Our Social Prescribing Team has wide spectrum of work and life experience. This means they can support a broad range of referrals.
What can Social Prescribers help with?
There are many social and economic factors that can have a negative impact on your health and wellbeing. Many people are overwhelmed and can’t reach out to make the connection that would make a difference to their situation.
This is where a Link Worker can help, our Social Prescribers accept a wide variety of referrals and can help with:
- Social isolation or loneliness
- Lacking confidence.
- Financial concerns
- Household support
- Social Activities
- Carer support
- Exercise
- Packages of care
- Additional needs
- Domestic abuse
- Bereavement
- Training and volunteering.
- Mental Health (Mental Health concerns are always triaged within the Mental Health Team to ensure the patient sees the most appropriate Team Member.
What matters to you
Our Link Workers offer non-judgemental support and will help you focus on what matters to you. They have the time to allow you to tell your story, and to build a rapport with you.
Our personalised approach, centred around our patient needs, means support is tailored to you. This could be up to 6 regular appointments, or a simple phone call to point you in the direction of organisations that can help.
Our Link Workers will build a plan with you to help build your confidence in tackling any day-to-day issues, connecting you to appropriate services and support, and enabling you to make informed choices moving forward.
Your Link Worker might introduce you to a community group, a new activity or a local club. They might help you find legal advice or debt counselling. They might just help you find information and guidance.
How can I see a Link Worker?
We want to make Social Prescribing easily accessible, so we accept referrals from a wide variety of sources including self-referral, members of your practice team, local charities and social care and health services.
Drop-ins
The Social Prescribing Team regularly join community groups and host drop-ins around Eastleigh, allowing them to meet our patients in a more informal setting.
They can regularly be found at the Job Centre, Wells Place where they join the ReConnect and Renew Wellbeing Groups, Eastleigh Library and the Asian Welfare and Cultural Association and many other community events.
Please follow our Facebook page or look at the news section to find out where the Link Workers will be. If you would like a Link Worker to join a group you attend please Contact Us.
Bereavement
Our Lead Link Worker is a qualified Counsellor with a BA in Counselling, she can provide generalised counselling, but specialises in Bereavement Counselling for the PCN. She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) with over 8 years of experience in providing bereavement support and navigating the complexities of grief.
Sessions with Fran can be tailored to meet the needs of the person who is experiencing grief and loss. This can be anywhere between 6-8 sessions or longer if the person needs it.
It is generally acknowledged that someone who has recently been bereaved should wait for at least 12 weeks before grief counselling. This is to allow time for that person to navigate the shock of someone dying, and to have to time to see to the rituals that death bring, such as organising and attending a funeral.
A person can expect to work with Fran on a 1:1 basis, the consultation is completely confidential and lasts around 50 minutes. Confidentiality is not broken unless safeguarding issue is identified, then this will be discussed with the person, and the appropriate steps will be taken.
Counselling offers the opportunity to provide a safe space where a person can bring their fears and anxieties for themselves and family members. Together, Fran and the person will navigate the grief process and explore their fears of death and dying.
Please complete this form to be referred into this service, or ask your GP or reception team.
Proactive Social Prescribing
Carers Project
In 2024, our Link Workers were receiving many referrals for Carers who were struggling to care for a loved one or friend due to physical burnout, emotional stresses/worries and at times, financial hardship.
The team decided to reach out to over 500 known Carers across our three Practices to make sure they were aware of the support and help a Link Worker could provide. The team also liaised with local services to warn them about the potential increase in referrals.
Referrals were made to Andover Mind and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers for emergency planning and carer support. Often the Carer was unable to leave the cared for person, so they were signposted to local groups within the community that they could both attend such as the Andover Mind Carer Support Group, Singing for the Brain, and Sporting Memories café.
The team found that some Carers were unaware of the financial support they may be entitled to such as Council Tax reduction, Carers Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Blue Badges. The team were able to provide some support, and also referred on to Citizens Advice.
The team made many referrals to Adult Social Services regarding packages of care, respite care and the Take a Break Scheme which allows all unpaid carers to receive three hours a week of respite. Eastleigh Borough Council explained the Disabled Facilities Grant to the team, and they made several referrals for support for home adaptations.
The team made referrals for lifeline/falls alarm and into the Bobby Scheme who fit key safes and carry out home safety checks providing carers with peace of mind about the safety of their loved ones. They also referred into the fire service to carry out home safety checks, and to test fire alarms and escape routes.
Caring for someone is very hard work and a full-time job, so any help or support the team can offer has a huge impact on our patient’s health and wellbeing. Please complete this form if you would like some support and guidance.
Over 65s Project
This year, the team are contacting over 65s to see if they could benefit from support from a Link Worker such as signposting to community groups, volunteering opportunities, finance support, or food bank referrals.
The team work closely with many local services and groups and are looking forward to supporting this cohort.
If you would like to find out more, please complete this form.
Please also see our Community Hub
Self-referral form
If you are a patient at Boyatt Wood Surgery, Eastleigh Medical Practice or St Andrew’s Surgery and are over 18 years old, you can contact us directly using this form.