More 'social prescribers' to ease pressure on GPs

[Northerner]

The number of workers trained to prescribe social activities, like exercise groups and art classes, to GP patients who don't need pills, is set to rise, under NHS England plans.

The aim is that "link workers" will support GPs and reduce their workload.

A link worker's role is to help patients find suitable community activities to improve their health and wellbeing.

The NHS says more than 1,000 will be recruited by 2020-21.

In the long term, it wants link workers to handle around 900,000 patient appointments a year.

It is thought that a significant number of appointments at GP surgeries are not directly related to medical conditions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46999922

 

[mikeyB]

But how do you triage those patients? I presume GPs will have to assess and refer. Wouldn’t leave it to receptionists

 

[Flower]

Triaging the patients is vital.

After an ankle fusion operation the hospital referred me to the community nurses to dress an infected wound each day- they said they couldn't fit me in and if I could get to a hospital appointment I could get to my gp. I managed to get to my gp surgery and a nurse put a new dressing on and gave me some extra to do myself. I was really unwell and in agony, the effort of getting to the surgery made me cry- I don't often do that in public. A few hours later she rang and said she thought I needed some social prescribing and activities as I seemed down 😱 Her suggestion was so far off the point I could barely speak to refuse the offer and the next day I was admitted to hospital with a raging foot infection.

If there is a great big obvious medical reason then don't use social prescribing. Pick the patients who will benefit wisely!

 

[Vicsetter]

But how do you triage those patients? I presume GPs will have to assess and refer. Wouldn’t leave it to receptionists

Unfortunately you don't decide nhs policy @mikeyB. Surprised it isn't being outsourced to Google or Alexa.