To mark Social Prescribing Day, Marianne Rozario summarises some key findings from her report with Good Faith Partnership on social prescribing. 19/03/25

Today marks Social Prescribing Day – an annual celebration of the people, organisations and communities who make social prescribing happen. Social prescribing is a model whereby primary health care providers can refer individuals to non–clinical services to benefit their health and wellbeing. Activities prescribed under this model are typically provided by voluntary/community sector organisations, with examples including arts and crafts, gardening, befriending, food banks, cookery and sports. As our report Creating a Neighbourhood Health Service found, churches and faith groups contribute significantly to social prescribing offering activities and services to their local communities throughout England.

But what are the advantages of faith and health working together in social prescribing? 

Why should healthcare practitioners work with faith groups? 

There is a growing interest (especially within the NHS) in a more personalised approach to healthcare delivery.[i] The NHS “Universal Personalised Care”[ii], first published in 2019, demonstrates this with social prescribing featuring in it. More broadly in medicine, there appears a push away from “over medicalising” health problems with prescribing drugs, and towards giving healthcare clinicians access to non–medical interventions that should reduce unnecessary prescriptions and referrals.[iii] More recently, the Darzi report 2024 and Wes Streeting’s vision for a “Neighbourhood Health Service” where prevention is the first order, highlights a renewed impetus for a community–based approach to preventative healthcare. Alongside this, the NHS is resource tight and overwhelmed – with an extensive funding hole and long waiting lists –and social prescribing has the potential to reduce the financial strain on the NHS in the long term. There appears to be a focus on the fact that in order to be more preventative and therefore cut costs at a primary care level and a more acute level, we have to be more focused on holistic needs of people, of the importance of public health and of the social determinants of health. Therefore, the fact that faith groups are at a neighbourhood level, are accessible and are able to care for people in a holistic way means that they are a great asset for prevention and therefore cutting costs and implementing the government’s plan for the longer term.

Why should faith groups collaborate with healthcare practitioners?

Churches and faith groups have always been caring for others as part of their social outreach to their congregations and wider community. They do so, drawing on Christianity, because at a community level they believe in “loving their neighbour” as part of their Christian social action.

This idea is reflected in the Catholic social teaching principle of “solidarity” which requires individuals within communities to care for the wellbeing of the other, committing themselves to the “common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all”.[iv] Other faith groups also desire to care for those in their communities. In Sikhism, “sewa” involves acting selflessly and helping others without any personal gain or reward. “Tzedakah”, a Hebrew word for charity and justice, is seen in Judaism as an obligation Jewish people have with God to help others as an act of generosity and justice. For Muslims, “sadaqah” is a voluntary charitable act towards others, whether through generosity, love, compassion or faith, to please God.

Faith groups can care for those in their communities through collaborating with healthcare practitioners in social prescribing. As our report “Creating a Neighbourhood Health Service” found, churches and faith groups are “anchors of the community”; have the ability to network and convene; provide buildings and volunteers; and offer pastoral and spiritual care. These are assets which faith groups can draw upon in their social outreach. Social prescribing link workers, proactively looking for community activities, should look at the activities and services of faith groups – and the assets they bring – which could potentially result in a more effective outcome for social prescribing.

4 examples of faith groups for social prescribing:

1.         Broadmead Community Church, Northampton – a Baptist church in Northampton that also serves as a hub for local community groups. They offer activities including a wellbeing café, table tennis and exercise groups, youth groups, mental health/wellbeing courses, etc. They also convene a bi–monthly forum bringing together church representatives, social prescribers, voluntary organisations, NHS representatives, local area partnership leads, GP representatives, police representatives and others to work together to address local issues.

2.         Befriended, Sussex – a Christian charity founded in 2017 works with local churches in Mid–Sussex aiming to end loneliness and isolation amongst older people living in Mid–Sussex. Social prescribers often refer patients to Befriended activities and services which include: face to face or telephone befriending, a prevention exercise class, monthly tea parties and other outings, bereavement support, chaplaincy, and a community choir.

3.         Bay Volunteers, Lancaster – a community–based service co–ordinated by Hope Church Lancaster. The project began as a direct result of the COVID–19 crisis, when there was a recognition that many vulnerable people would be home alone, isolated and unable to access essentials, including food and medication. A helpline number for those in need of practical help or simply someone to talk to was set up, and individuals in need were connected to volunteers at Hope Church who were able to respond to the need.  Now, the service, partnering with Lancaster City Council, connects vulnerable members of the community with volunteers from the church who assist with shopping, collecting and delivering post/parcels, collecting and delivering prescriptions, a listening call, visit or walk patient transport, and digital support.

4.         Riverside Vineyard Church, London – as part of the church’s social outreach through Riverside Compassion, they offer numerous services that social prescribing link workers refer patients to. They offer a foodbank, English–language classes, a job club aim to give job seekers the skills to confidently seek employment, an advice group on managing finances and personal budgets, and a weekly café with free refreshments and an opportunity to speak with other service providers. 

If you’re interested in this you can find the report and the ‘how to’ guides for social prescribing link workers and faith leaders here.

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