Social Prescribing… Is It Working?
/My GP has adopted a social prescribing model which in theory I think is a really good idea… if it worked? My GP made the referral to a local authority gym in November 2023 but I have yet to be inducted onto the scheme. I suspect that social prescribing for UK veterans also faces significant challenges due to long waiting times. We all know that many veterans need support for a range of issues including mental health, physical health, social isolation, and/or employment. Yet the resources available for social prescribing are clearly insufficient to meet the high demand, leading to longer waiting times. Veterans often have complex needs that require coordinated, multifaceted support. Waiting times exacerbate these issues and delayed access to services that could help them can worsen their conditions. Effective social prescribing requires timely coordination between health, social care, and third-sector organisations and as I have experienced delays in one area can disrupt the entire support plan. Long waits can lead to deterioration in mental health conditions, making them harder to treat and increasing the risk of a crisis led intervention. Similarly any prolonged waiting can cause frustration and a sense of hopelessness, which may result in some veterans disengaging from the prescribed social support systems. Repeated delays erode trust in the system, making people less likely to seek help in the future. I know I have been become discouraged by the excessive waiting times and when turning up for appointments only to find staff are not available and no one had any idea I was coming that day despite the fact that the social prescribing team arranged the appointment. This has happened on two separate occasions and I admit to having come close to not to participating in this particular project. I understand that there can be significant administrative and systemic challenges in coordinating services across different organisations and if insufficient funding and/or resources are not allocated to social prescribing initiatives then bottlenecks and long waiting lists will happen. Statistical data showing the average waiting times for different services could provide concrete evidence of the need for a change of provider and restructuring.
I believe we need more money allocated to social prescribing initiatives especially those targeted at veterans and only by improving coordination between services will we reduce administrative delays. By addressing these challenges, social prescribing for UK veterans could become a more effective intervention, after all we have paid for it through our National Insurance contributions.
Tony Wright CEO Forward Assist
