On 18 May, the LGA published a new report on ‘social prescribing’. This is a useful resource on how councils can more effectively connect people with local community services and activities in order to improve the health and wellbeing of their population. The report can be downloaded at:
http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/publications/-/journal_content/56/10180/7825223/PUBLICATION
The challenge of the ageing population and supporting people with long-term conditions is one of the biggest our society faces. Chronic illnesses consume approximately 70 per cent of the health budget. But as there is no cure for them they require us to look beyond the traditional clinical model the NHS offers. This is where social prescribing comes in. By connecting people with local community services and activities we can improve the health and wellbeing of large numbers of people. Councils – with their responsibility for public health and local leadership – are ideally placed to grasp the nettle.
