A new report by Theos and the Good Faith Partnership, exploring how churches and faith groups contribute to social prescribing in England. 27/01/2025

The NHS and social care services in England are stretched to breaking point, grappling with record–high demand for GP appointments and secondary care services. Yet, one in five GP appointments are not for medical reasons, but rather requests for help with issues like loneliness, housing, or debt. 

Lord Darzi’s 2024 report paints a stark picture of the NHS’s current state but also offers a vision for its future: a shift towards neighbourhood–level care, preventing ill–health and tackling health inequalities, a vision echoed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP’s ambition to turn the NHS into a “neighbourhood health service.” 

Social prescribing – connecting people to community–based activities to benefit their wellbeing – can be part of that preventative solution. Churches and faith groups not only contribute significantly to social prescribing offering networks and resources, but with their focus on community, relationship and holistic wellbeing, they can play a foundational role in preventative healthcare.  

Our research found that faith groups across the country already host a wealth of friendly, welcoming, and “referrable” activities. These groups act as “anchors of the community” with the ability to network and convene, provide resources, buildings and volunteers, and offer pastoral and spiritual care. 

However, there are barriers preventing a more integrated approach between faith and health including communication and administrative challenges. Therefore, this report outlines a model of relationship–building through active networking, engaged collaboration, and forward planning, unlocking the full potential of faith–based support. 

Ultimately, this report highlights the contribution of faith groups in social prescribing and puts forward recommendations for proactive collaboration between faith groups, the NHS and wider healthcare networks at the level of “neighbourhoods”, “places” and “systems”.

Read the full report here.

About the project

Creating a Neighbourhood Health Service: The role of churches and faith groups in social prescribing is the concluding report of a 21–month project, generously funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, which seeks to understand the impact of churches and faith groups in social prescribing.  

Between October 2023 and July 2024, we conducted a scoping survey completed by over 50 link workers, interviewed 37 individuals including healthcare professionals and faith representatives, held 3 focus groups with relevant stakeholders, and visited numerous activities and services throughout the country speaking with service users and volunteers.

Join us for our online launch event on Thursday, January 30 from 11am – 12pm. Details here.

How can we achieve a better integrated approach in social prescribing? (Our recommendations)

This report offers recommendations for relationship–building between churches and faith groups and healthcare professionals to achieve a better integrated approach in social prescribing at a “neighbourhoods”, “places” and “systems” level.  

“Neighbourhood” level: Faith groups should promote activities and services to Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLWs) and GP surgeries, convene forums connecting faith and health and increase social prescribing literacy and engagement amongst their communities. Social Prescribing Team Leads and SPLWs should actively engage local faith communities, participate in their activities, go with their patients to faith–based services and seek out additional funding for such activities.  

“Places” level: Roundtables should be convened between leaders of faith groups, regional church leaders, leaders of charities and Primary Care Network (PCN) clinical directors/Integrated Care Board (ICB) leads. Faith groups should designate a health and wellbeing lead advocating for social prescribing. Healthcare professionals should draw on the faith communities they have partnered with on other health initiatives such as the Covid vaccine rollout, encourage preventative strategies in the community including placing SPLWs in churches and employ GP chaplains.  

“Systems” level: NHS leaders, DHSC, the National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP) and leaders within faith communities should collaborate through existing avenues. Preventative initiatives into the community should be encouraged, including integrating Warm Welcome into social prescribing plans. A ‘Faith Lead’ should be created within NASP to convene national work and new funding for faith–based activities should be unlocked.

How to engage in social prescribing

For further practical suggestions for how churches and faith groups and social prescribers can engage and work effectively together, see the ‘How To’ booklets published alongside our report. 

Download ‘How to engage in Social Prescribing: Faith Leaders’. A guide for faith leaders looking to engage more deeply with social prescribing, and especially looking to build connections with social prescribing link workers.  

Download ‘How to engage faith groups in Social Prescribing: Social Prescribing Link Workers’. A guide for Social Prescribing Link Workers looking to work more effectively with churches and faith groups in order to support the wellbeing of individuals.

About the authors

Dr Marianne Rozario is Senior Researcher and Projects Lead at Theos. She is the co–author of Ashes to Ashes: beliefs, trends, and practices in dying, death, and the afterlife. She has a PhD in International Relations exploring the notion of Catholic agency in international society through the University of Notre Dame Australia, and a MA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews. She is a Honorary Researcher for the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society, and a former Lecturer for St Mary’s University.