Social prescriptions are "Hugely valuable"
The practice is known as social prescribing and doctors are increasingly relying on the services to help people suffering from conditions including depression, obesity and memory problems.
Dr Freya Scott, a GP partner at the medical group, said:
“Social prescribing is where we carry out referrals and prescribe things that aren’t medication. We might refer someone to the gym, or a slimming club. We can refer patients to positive step – talking therapies and counselling – for anxiety management, depression, stress, self esteem issues.
Scotch Horn Leisure Centre works with patients with a range of conditions including people who have had strokes, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, multiple sclerosis, cancer, arthritis and people with mental health problems.
Patients can have 12 gym sessions for free. It introduces people to exercise safely and hopefully they will continue. It’s hugely valuable. I really can’t imagine having to practice without them. We can’t take on any more and I can talk to people about taking up exercise but I can’t show them and make sure they do it safely.”
Nailsea Family Practice also runs the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) which supports lonely, frail and housebound patients.
Social isolation is also a massive problem. Most of the patients I have referred have been lonely and isolated. We have the RSVP programme and we can refer people we feel would benefit, we also have the leg club, the memory café and the Forget Me Not Clinic for people concerned about problems with their memory.
