Posted on February 9, 2020
Social prescribing is gaining traction in health management
– a bridge where wellbeing fits between the medical and person-centred holistic or lifestyle condition support. Whilst the term may be relatively new to mainstream practice in Australia, the idea is not, and is based on a health care professional referral (‘prescription’) to social based interventions or activities that can complement medical management of a problem.
A report by the Consumers Health Forum and The RACGP released earlier this year recommends broader uptake of social prescribing across the nation following successful pilots, and the rise of such services overseas. In the UK, the model was introduced in the late 90s and early 00s as a potential panacea to resource and funding pressures in General Practice by focusing on leveraging community resources and support organisations more effectively. The approach for chronic long-term health conditions has since become more of a standardised model, and highly advocated at health policy levels in the UK and in other countries, as data begins to show the positive impacts they can deliver. One Canadian program reports impressive data with increased mental wellbeing and participation in social activities by clients, significantly correlating to decreased repeat visits to their health provider.
A holistic approach to health care is integral to patient engagement and leads to better health outcomes.
At Commercial Eyes we provide a patient centric approach to health, supporting chronic health management for all our clients.
How can social prescribing help you? To learn more about current trends in health care management, and a relevant approach to your patient support opportunities contact Caroline Butt [email protected] or get in touch with our experienced Patient Engagement team at [email protected] or call us on +613 9251 0777.