Conversation between Social Prescribing and Navigation
What's the difference between Social prescribing and Navigation?
Social prescribing and Navigation both focus on supporting people by understanding their situation and helping them achieve their goals. However, there are key differences between the services.
We speak to team leads from the Age UK Islington Navigation and Social Prescribing Link Work teams to explore some key differences between their work.
This includes when a Social prescriber refers someone with more complex needs to the Age UK Islington Navigation team for additional support.
A person’s needs can be complex for many reasons—whether they’re dealing with multiple challenges or simply need more support to overcome the difficulties they’re facing.
So, what do Social prescribers and Navigators do?
Zlatina (Social prescriber):
When someone visits their GP and the GP identifies that a patient could benefit from support with non-medical issues, I step in. As a Social Prescriber, I link them to community resources. We’ll talk through what they want to achieve, whether it’s staying active, managing debt, or building social connections.
Maria (Navigator):
I also help people with daily issues, but usually, it's more than one problem at a time. Navigation is often about getting the right support in place, not just pointing people to resources. If someone feels overwhelmed—whether due to a long-term illness, mental health struggles, challenging circumstances, or a lack of confidence, know-how, or skills to tackle their issues—we offer more hands-on support to help them through.
How do you get started with a client?
Zlatina:
I get notified through the GP system, and I’ll reach out to the client to set up an initial conversation. This could be over the phone, at the GP surgery, in the community, or at one of Age UK Islington’s offices. If they can’t get out, I can do a home visit.
Maria:
I mostly get referrals through our helpline, multi-disciplinary meetings, or directly from other health or social care professionals. I’ll arrange an initial conversation, and it might be a home visit, a phone call, a meeting at one of our offices, depending on their situation.
How do you support clients?
Zlatina:
In our first chat, I’ll listen to their concerns and help them figure out what they want to focus on. Maybe they want to join a class, get help with stress or with benefits. I’ll suggest services and resources they might find useful, and we’ll plan follow-up sessions to check on their progress.
Maria:
My first conversation is similar, but the issues are often more urgent—like potential homelessness or that their utilities are about to be cut-off. I’m more hands-on, coordinating between different services, making referrals, and helping them get support, not just pointing them in the right direction.
Who are your clients?
Zlatina:
I work with adults of all ages, but I tend to see younger clients more than the Navigators do.
Maria:
We also work with adults of all ages (16yrs+), but I tend to support older clients, especially as health issues tend to increase with age. The younger clients might have an acute health condition, or other challenges, like learning difficulties or mental health concerns.
How long do you support clients for?
Zlatina:
I typically work with someone for about 4 weeks, depending on what they need. This can vary, it can be one week, it can be up to 6 weeks depending on the circumstances.
Maria:
For me, it’s usually a longer-term commitment – on average, we’ll support a client for about 9 weeks, we’ve noticed over the past couple of years this has increased and have been known to support someone for up to four months. This is mainly down to someone having a lot of issues to deal with.
What about working with health professionals?
Zlatina:
I’m based in GP practices, so I’m in regular contact with doctors and other staff there. We meet regularly to discuss the right package of clinical care, together with the support I provide.
Maria:
I work closely with health professionals through multi-disciplinary team meetings. These are with GPs, community nurses, mental health professionals, and others to ensure my clients are getting all the support they need.
What happens if someone has a long-term condition?
Zlatina:
If someone has a long-term condition, I might help them find resources to manage it better, like exercise programs or dietary changes. For something like early-stage dementia, I’d guide them to support services. But for more advanced conditions, that’s when the Navigation team steps in.
Maria:
If someone has a long-term condition, we look at how they’re managing their care and ensure they’re getting everything they need. We might help with things like arranging a package of care, home adaptations, or working with other specialists and Allied Health Professionals such as Occupational Therapists or Physios to meet their needs.
Do you support clients with mental health issues?
Zlatina:
Yes, I often work with people who have mild depression or anxiety. If it’s a more serious condition like schizophrenia or OCD, we assess whether social prescribing is appropriate based on their support system and stability.
Maria:
We work with people dealing with mental health challenges all the time—whether it’s severe depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, or other conditions. We often refer them to talking therapies or other specialist support from mental health teams.
What health issues do your clients face most?
Zlatina:
The most common health issues I see are anxiety and depression, followed by musculoskeletal problems like back pain and diabetes. Many people are referred to me because of lifestyle factors that contribute to these issues.
Maria:
Our clients often deal with mobility issues due to conditions like arthritis, Parkinson’s, or stroke. Chronic pain and a high risk of falls are also pretty common, and many of our clients are housebound.
Is there a difference in training or experience?
Zlatina:
Both Social Prescribers and Navigators come from health and social care backgrounds.
Maria:
Many of our Navigators have worked in mental health or social care before.
What do you love about your jobs?
Zlatina:
I love helping people take control of their health and well-being. It’s really satisfying knowing that what I do complements clinical care and has a real impact.
Maria:
I enjoy problem-solving and seeing clients’ lives improve. It’s also great to work in a team where we all bring our own expertise to the table and support each other.
For more information
If you have any thoughts about this article or if you're interested in finding out more about Age UK Islington services, please contact Michael O'Dwyer, Head of Service - Personalised Care & Support, Age UK Islington.
Go back to Age UK Islington - Insight menu page.