Social Prescribing Link Workers

Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLW) are personalised care professionals who give people time to focus on ‘what matters to them’. They support patients to take control of their health and wellbeing and together they coproduce a simple personalised care and support plan. SPLW take a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing and connect patients to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support.

Social prescribing is an all-age, whole population approach that works particularly well for people who:

• have one or more long term conditions
• who need support with low level mental health issues
• who are lonely or isolated
• who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

Referrals may come from a wide range of agencies or organisations, in addition to members of the primary health care team and self-referrals.

Social prescribing complements other approaches, such as active signposting.  This is a ‘light touch’ approach where existing staff in local agencies provide information to signpost people to services, using local knowledge and resource directories. Active signposting works best for people who are confident and skilled enough to find their own way to services after a brief intervention.

A standard model of social prescribing has been developed in partnership with stakeholders, which shows the key elements that need to be in place for effective social prescribing:

SPLW play an increasingly important role in Primary Health Care, supporting patients to make positive choices that will enable them to live healthier lives and therefore relieving the burden of ill-health within the practice population. They work closely as part of the team, and in particular with Health and Wellbeing Coaches, Mental Health practitioners and Care Coordinators.

The skills acquired in undertaking this role may lead to other opportunities for training within health care, such as training in nursing, health visiting or one of the Allied Health Professions.

Is there any recruitment funding available to Primary Care Networks?

This is a role that is included in the Additional Roles Recruitment Scheme from April 2020. Primary Care Networks may therefore be able to access funding to cover salary and on costs. You can find out more by referring to the information in the links below:

• Update to the GP Contract Agreement – NHS England
• Network Contract DES Contract Specification 2024-25 – NHS England

To find out more about this role, please visit:

• Personalised Care Institute – NHS England
• ARRS roles – Personalised Care Institute
• Social Prescribing Link Workers – NHS England

Training Resources and Framework

Social Prescribing workspace on future.nhs.uk (after creating an account please visit future.nhs.uk/socialprescribing )

• eLearning – Personalised Care Institute
• Training Standards – Personalised Care Institute
• Social Prescribing Link Worker Welcome Pack
• Supporting people with their mental health through social prescribing – eLearning for Healthcare

Case Studies

• Social prescribing linked me to art which saved my life
• Social prescribing – the power of time and connections
• Social prescribing represents the most effective, wide reaching and life changing of all initiatives to date: a GP’s perspective

Further information

Please contact Veronica Kuperman, our Personalised Care Lead: veronica.kuperman1@nhs.net