Exploring the social prescribing service in Barking and Dagenham, with a focus on mental health support

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham decided to examine the social prescribing service in Barking and Dagenham, initiated after engaging with local residents during targeted outreach on mental wellbeing. They wanted to assess awareness levels of social prescribing services in the local community and to explore the experiences of those who have used these services, identifying what is working well, and areas for improvement. They engaged with 54 participants and used a mix of online surveys and semi-structured interviews. Their primary focus was on residents who had mental health issues and were experiencing loneliness or social isolation.  Data collection took place between July to September 2023. 

The findings of the report indicate that there is some degree of awareness regarding social prescribing services in the community; however, some respondents reported their lack of awareness was primarily due to limited information and understanding of the service, and inadequate transparency and publicity. This suggests a need for more promotion and information about social prescribing services within the local community. 

Individuals who had used social prescribing services shared encouraging feedback. They found the link workers to be a valuable resource that provides guidance and referrals to appropriate support and services. This demonstrates the huge potential for social prescribing to make a meaningful impact on the lives of residents, particularly those facing mental health challenges, loneliness, and social isolation. 

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham also conducted interviews with social prescribing teams from other boroughs. This provided an opportunity to learn how other boroughs operate. Using these findings, this report makes a number of recommendations. It emphasises the need for enhanced promotion and awareness campaigns to ensure that residents have comprehensive information about social prescribing services. Moreover, it highlights the value of the link workers and encourages their continued support and training to best serve the community's needs. 

Collaborative learning and sharing of best practices with social prescribing teams from other boroughs is also proposed as valuable steps for ongoing improvement. A further step forward would to be include, for example, surveying link workers in addition to residents, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the system.