Support at your GP Practice
We offer 1 to 1 support at GP surgeries through Social Prescribing, which can help if you are feeling isolated, or need support to access better housing, grants, benefits, manage your health conditions, or connect you to further support in the community.
Our Link Workers will take time to listen to you carefully, and offer advice, or connect you to activities, groups and services to help meet your needs.
You may be referred by a clinician at your practice, but you can also contact us yourself if we work in your GP surgery as a self-referral.
Wellbeing is more than physical health
Social Prescribing aims to look at what matters to you in your life, and what areas need time and attention to make you happier.
Our Link Workers will meet with you regularly to listen and offer guidance in a safe and confidential 1 to 1 setting, and connect you to a range of support.
What can social prescribing help with?
Long-term health conditions
Loneliness & isolation
Housing support
Money & debt
Physical activity & weight loss
Mental health & wellbeing
What to expect?
Social Prescribing is a personalised care approach that offers practical and emotional support, connecting you to activities, groups, and services in the community to meet your practical, social and emotional needs affecting your health and wellbeing.
The Social Prescribing Link Worker for your GP surgery will get in touch to arrange an initial appointment with you. This usually takes around 40 minutes and is about identifying what challenges you are facing and what you would like support with. This can be over the phone or in person at your GP surgery.
Your Link Worker will use the information from this initial meeting to produce a personalised care and support plan.
Some examples of support may include:
- Connecting someone to a befriending group, or group activity such as an art class or community gardening project
- Supporting someone with dementia to join a dementia choir or dementia café
- Working with someone with high blood pressure to join an exercise class
- Helping someone struggling with financial stress to apply for the benefits they are entitled to
Social prescribing is a 12 week service. Once you have had an initial meeting with your Link Worker and a personalised care and support plan has been created for you, your Link Worker will schedule some additional appointments to catch up on your progress and make amendments to the plan if needed.
At the end of the 12 weeks, your Link Worker will review your plan and obtain feedback about the support you received.
We cover over 100 GP surgeries across Kent and Medway, including all Maidstone, Weald, Sittingbourne and Tonbridge and Malling surgeries; most Dover and Folkestone surgeries; some Dartford and Gravesend surgeries; Medway surgeries in Hoo and surrounding area; and Romney Marsh surgeries.
To find out if we’re in your GP surgery, get in touch.
Get in touch
This service can be accessed by contacting your GP surgery and asking for a referral.
Please note, this service is only available at select GP surgeries.