Social Prescribing Day 2024

Ruby, Age UK Islington Social Prescribing Link Worker, is based at Amwell GP Practice in Islington

What do you enjoy about being a social prescriber?

I love people and am a problem solver! Often when I first meet a new client, they can be a bit lost, disengaged and don’t know where to start to access the help they need.  I get great satisfaction from finding the right match for someone’s individual needs and circumstances and seeing them get the support they need.

Since being a social prescriber, I can see first-hand how people’s lives and wellbeing improve through the work that we do. Through an initial conversation I can get an insight into what someone might be struggling with or help them to find hope or a sense of purpose.

It might be a single mother who has lost a sense of self and confidence, struggling financially. It could be a woman caring for elderly parents who has not arranged for any statutory input for her parents or it could be an asylum seeker living in a hostel who is isolated.  We see so many different people in different circumstances.

How social prescribing fits within the community

The job has allowed me to learn about all of the different services in Islington and there is so much valuable support within the community. 

A lot of the clients that we meet with come from different backgrounds and we strive to find activities that meet their specific needs and where they will feel comfortable.  Some people might have requirements to do with their cultural upbringing or if they are living with a long-term health condition.

We are always on the lookout for new local activities, services and opportunities across Islington that we can recommend for specific circumstances, interests, age groups, cultural groups and medical conditions.

How the role works alongside the GP surgery

I am based at the GP surgery two or three times a week.  We take part in practice meetings once a fortnight. These are a good forum to discuss and agree the best combination of holistic and clinical approaches for a client. It’s always useful to be able to have informal discussions with members of the team.

GPs will refer patients to me via EMIS and then I’ll arrange a time to give them a call back for a longer appointment. This might be by phone or in person at a venue that suits the patient.

I feel very much part of the practice team. It’s also great to work as part of a team of Age UK Islington Social Prescribers and a wider team of caseworkers. We share resources including knowledge about services and activities. We can also refer patients to Navigation Case Worker colleagues if a client is dealing with multiple issues or if they are less able to cope. 

For more information or support

For more information about the work of the Age UK Islington Social Prescribing team, please contact communications@ageukislington.org.uk.

For support from Age UK Islington, please contact our helpline, 020 7281 6018, gethelp@ageukislington.org.uk