Health & Wellbeing

The appointments with a Wellbeing Coach places the individual’s needs, values, and preferences at the forefront of any support or care you receive. Our Coach is Sofia.

Appointments will aim to give our patients time to think what matters to them. This is an opportunity for patients to take a standpoint and consider what they think is affecting their overall health.

Sofia can help people improve their motivation, knowledge and skills to self-manage a variety of issues and conditions. This includes stress levels, low self-confidence, sleep, low physical activity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and other long-term conditions.

Our Coach will work with you to guide and support you to recognise short and long-term goals, help you better understand your own strengths and help you to self-manage your conditions or situation. This should help strengthen your skills, sustain healthier lifestyle choices and prevent long-term illness.

Suitable Patients for our Health & Wellbeing Coach are for those who have non-medical, social, or emotional needs that affect their health and well-being. These patients might benefit from community-based support here.

Social Prescribing

As part of our team, we have a Social Prescriber / Link Worker.

Many things in life can affect your health and wellbeing. Many people visit our team feeling isolated, lonely or worried about work, housing, money, being a carer or other matters that affect us day to day.

These are things that cannot be fixed by doctors or medicine alone.

Social Prescribing offers the kind of help that doesn’t come in a tube or bottle. The support is there to  help connect you to local community services and support networks to help you have more control over your health and wellbeing.

It is focussed on what is important to YOU.

Taking the first step

Social Prescribing can help in many ways, and it usually starts with a conversation. Your Doctor or Nurse may make an introduction for you, or you may contact our Social Prescriber direct.

Our Social Prescriber will then get in touch, and will listen to you, and understand what is important to you. They will work with you to help you:

• Develop goals to improve your health and wellbeing
• Find and use services and groups with the local community
• Connect with other support in your community or national organisations

There are many groups and activities that can help you achieve your goals and your health and wellbeing.

Introductions

Our Social Prescriber can signpost you to support in the community, and nationally, in areas such as:

• Housing, benefits assistance and finance
• Art and creative activities
• Exercise – this comes in many types from dance, walking, running, gyms, chair based exercises and many more!
• Training, re-training, employment and volunteering
• Other activities – gardening, singing, social groups, health specific support groups, reading and many more!
• Counselling and therapy groups

The support offered is tailored depending on your goals. You may only need to speak with our Social Prescriber once to help you achieve your goals. In other circumstances, you may need more support. Usually, this will be around 6 or 7 contacts.

Appointments with our Social Prescriber vary in time from 15 mins to 1.5 hours, depending on the support you need.

For more information about Social Prescribing, please click HERE.

To get in touch with our Social Prescriber, call the Practice at 01223 364116.

Suitable Patients for Social Prescribing Referrals

Social prescribing is ideal for patients who have non-medical, social, or emotional needs that affect their health and well-being. These patients might benefit from community-based support.

The Practice has a Social Prescriber to provide Patient Services for this, namely Roberta.

Patients coming to see us usually have:

1. Mild Mental Health Problems:

• Feeling anxious, low, stressed, or a bit depressed, but not needing urgent medical care.
• Could benefit from joining groups for social support, mindfulness, or exercise.

2. Feeling Lonely or Isolated:

• Older people living alone.
• New to the area or do not have many friends or family nearby.
• People who say they feel lonely or disconnected.

3. Long-Term Health Conditions:

• People with illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, lung problems, or chronic pain.
• They might benefit from exercise groups, or peer support.

4. Social or Money Problems:

• Struggling with housing, money, unemployment, or getting help from services.
• People needing advice about benefits or legal issues.

5. People Who Have Experienced Abuse:

• Those affected by domestic abuse, neglect, or other forms of harm, who need support and connection to relevant services.

6. Wanting to Make Healthy Changes:

• People, who want to exercise more, quit smoking, drink less alcohol.
• Motivated but need extra support.

7. Carers Under Stress:

• Those looking after family or friends who are sick or disabled and need emotional support or a break.

8. Non-Medical Complaints:

• Patients who come often with symptoms like tiredness or aches that might be linked to social or emotional problems.

Social Prescribing Patient leaflet