The Redbridge Social Prescribing Service is a means of enabling GPs to refer patients for support to find extra services in the community. This is to help patients make positive change to improve their health and wellbeing. The service is a joint initiative by RedbridgeCVS, Redbridge Council and Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group.

How does it work?

GPs refer patients to RedbridgeCVS, where staff assign them to a "Health and Wellbeing Buddy" who supports and guides them in accessing a range of non-medical, community-based services, groups and social activities with the aim of reducing social isolation, improving mental health and promoting healthy lifestyles. The Health and Wellbeing Buddies are employed and trained by RedbridgeCVS.

Who can benefit from the Social Prescribing Service?

The service is available to patients over 18 years of age and registered with a GP in Redbridge who are:

• Feeling lonely
• Feeling low, sad or anxious
• Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes

We are not able to take self-referrals – the referral has to be made by a GP.

More details

For more details about this project, please contact our Social Prescribing, Health and Wellbeing Coordinator, Shahida Begum, via email at shahida@redbridgecvs.net