Social Prescribing approaches in North Cumbria

What is social prescribing?

The term social prescribing was coined to express an idea that health and wellbeing could be improved not only by pills and prescriptions but also by social connection, meaningful activity and lifestyle.

In North Cumbria we use the term to mean a range of approaches: all of which involve a link worker – someone who takes time to build trust and work through what is important to the person they are supporting. They can then connect into community-based support – whether that’s an exercise class, volunteering, nature, culture or a social group.

There are a range of different roles, models and employers delivering social prescribing-type approaches, but the common threads are: a person-centred and holistic approach centred on a human relationship which creates connection.

What does social prescribing look like?

 

Links:

What is Social Prescribing? | NASP
What Is Social Prescribing? | The King’s Fund
Communities And Health | The King’s Fund

 

Who does social prescribing in North Cumbria?

Many different organisations host roles which fit the description of a ‘social prescribing approach’ in the North Cumbria area – the council, GP practices and voluntary or community groups.

Find out more about who does social prescribing here

 

Why is social prescribing relevant to the VCFSE sector?

Social prescribing is important to the third sector in two main ways. As described above, the voluntary sector is a natural home to the kind of person-centred, community-based roles which carry out social prescribing or link working. This was a fundamental part of the sector’s activity long before the term social prescribing was coined, or NHS England funnelled money into the roles.

Secondly, without the community activities, groups and support hosted and offered by the voluntary sector, true social prescribing cannot exist and truly thrive – it would be the equivalent of a pharmacy without any medication. Social prescribing can be a vital conduit for the third sector – plugging local people into community support from a clinical or medical starting point. However, we also know that it puts additional pressure on already stretched and underfunded groups, who then struggle to manage demand.

At its best a social prescribing ecosystem is built on partnership: between clinicians and link workers, between link workers and the people they support, between link workers and community organisations and between community organisations and local people.

 

How can I find out more or get involved?

If you want to know more about social prescribing and the work happening here in North Cumbria there are a few ways you can do that:

You can subscribe to our mailing list which we use to send out quarterly updates relevant to link workers by contacting sarah.penn@cumbriacvs.org.uk

For more general connectivity into the worlds of health and care our Action for Health network is ideal or for those with a special interest in mental health, the Mental Health Provider Forum. To join, click here and select Mental Health Provider Forum and/or Action For Health from the email options available.

You can catch up on past social prescribing newsletters here:

We host or co-host events designed to support social prescribing – see our current events here

You can connect with the social prescribing steering group – email sarah.penn@cumbriacvs.org.uk

Local forums – sign up to local forums e.g. Eden Health and Wellbeing Forum (email amy.elliott@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk) or Cumberland Social Prescribing Forum (email katie.rae@cumberland.gov.uk).

National networks – NASP The National Academy for Social Prescribing | NASP, Social Prescribing Network Home – Social Prescribing Network or The Social Prescribing Youth Network (SPYN) – Social Prescribing Network

 

North Cumbria Social Prescribing Steering Group

There has been a system-wide group overseeing and championing social prescribing in the North Cumbria health area since 2018/9. Previous projects have included a small grants programme for green social prescribing and a community of practice, ‘Link and Think’ events, etc. It is composed of a delivery group and a strategy group – with each focussing on their own linked priorities.

Find out more about the Steering Group here

 

North Cumbria Social Prescribing Strategy

This has been in place since 2019 – view the strategy here

 

Social Prescribing Report 2026:
‘Passion, Connection and Community: Person-Centred Neighbourhood Health in North Cumbria’

In Spring 2026 the North Cumbria Social Prescribing Steering Group will be publishing a report into link worker approaches locally.

It will include:

  • National literature review with evidence relevant for the North Cumbrian context
    7 case studies from different services – one from each Integrated Care Community
    Referral data from North Cumbrian organisations

To ensure you receive the report please sign up to our Action For Health mailing list. To join, click here and select Action For Health from the email options available.

 

A timeline of social prescribing in North Cumbria

To view a PDF version of this timeline with active links, click here