Rotherham Social Prescribing Service

1. Rotherham Social Prescribing Service
Janet Wheatley: CEO Voluntary Action Rotherham

2. Rotherham Social
Prescribing Service:
Connects people with long term conditions,
referred through case management teams, to
sources of support in their community
5 VCS Advisors, employed by VAR, linked to 36
GP practices, work with referred people to find a
service or activity that meets their needs
19 VCS organisations receive funding to provide
a menu of 20 different services and activities
Provides a gateway to a wider pool of VCS
services that are not directly funded through social
prescribing, predominantly provided by local
community centres and groups
2
PRESCRIPTION•Exercise / healthy lifestyles•Self-managementprogrammes
•Social and leisure•Arts and crafts•Befriending/mentoring•Confidence building•Learning/training•Money – benefits, debt, fuelpoverty
•Housing/adaptations•Carers support•Dementia support•Transport/mobility•Advocacy

3. Why are we doing it?
Strengthening individuals, strengthening communities
• NHS Efficiency Challenge - reduces pressure on NHS and social
care
• Improves outcomes for patients with long term conditions and their
carers
• Recognition that patients need support with non-medical issues -
creates a wider range of options for primary care and patient
• Shift of focus to prevention and early intervention - increases
independence, resilience of individuals and communities
• Supports integration and personalisation
• Doing things differently – ‘more of the same’ is not an option

4. Feedback
Feedback
Rotherham Social Prescribing Model

5. G
P
VCSA
VCS
provider
Service 1
VCS
provider
Service 3
VCS
provider
Service 2
SPS
Funded
SPS
Funded
Patient attends
peer-led group
Patient continues
to access service
(external funding
sustains service)
Patient referred
on to sustainable
activities /
service
No sustainable
outcome for
patient
SPS
funded
Provider
Service
SPSReferralin
Referral
Out
VCSAFOLLOWUP
Social Prescribing Patient
Journey
SPS funding
Patient continues
to access service
(patient self
funds)
Towards
Independence
Maintaining
Independence
Sustainable funding

6. Activity 2014-15
1392 referrals into SPS (3067)
1554 referrals out to funded VCS (3643)
574 referrals out to non-funded VCS (1052)
651 referrals out to non-VCS (1241)
36 GP practices (all)
Highest – 328 referrals 65% aged 75+ (66%)
61% female (61%)
30% aged 85+ (31%)
13% aged under 60 (12%)
3% BME (3%)

7. Referrals out – top categories
Advice and Information (Benefits) 387
Community Activities
(Social, education, exercise, leisure)
378
Befriending Plus 354
Transport 233
Therapeutic 166
Community Hubs 144
Advocacy and Support 111
Dementia Support 109
Carer Respite 71

8. Hospital Episodes - 12 month cohort
Inpatient Admissions:
• All patients: 21 per cent reduction
• Patients referred to funded VCS provision: 25 per cent reduction
A&E Attendance:
• All patients: 20 per cent reduction
• Patients referred to funded VCS provision: 24 per cent reduction
Outpatients:
• All patients: 21 per cent reduction
• Patients referred to funded VCS provision: 29 per cent reduction

9. Wellbeing Improvements
• 83% of patients made progress in at least one outcome area

10. Cost/Benefits
For an annual investment of £500,000:
£415,000 potential cost savings in first year post-referral
£870,000 to £1.9M potential full cost savings (dependent
on length benefit sustained/drop-off rate)
£660-742,000 – potential social value of well-being gains
in year post-referral
£350,000 additional welfare benefits claimed
£280,000 external funding accessed
£180,000 – estimated value of volunteer contribution
Potential wider savings for primary and social care

11. Outcomes for patients and carers
• Quantitative and qualitative evidence points to a range of
improvements for patients and carers:
–improved mental health
–greater independence
-reduced isolation and loneliness
–increased physical activity
–welfare benefits
• Social Prescribing represents an important first step to engaging
with community based services and wider statutory provision
• Without Social Prescribing many patients and carers would be
unaware of or unable to access these services

12. Outcomes for the public sector
• Pilot delivered in the context of austerity measures, rises in long
term health conditions and the use of unplanned hospital care, and
an ageing population
• Social Prescribing was targeted at those most at risk of requiring
unplanned hospital care
• Reducing attendances and admissions is an important measure of
success
• There are positive signs, with reductions of up to a fifth after 12
months. Translates into cost reductions for commissioners
• Broader outcomes such as satisfaction with care and patient
experience,

13. Outcomes for the VCS
• Opportunity for smaller organisations to access NHS
funding/demonstrate impact
• Funding to expand capacity/develop new services – not happened
in other areas of UK - £907,000 given out in grants / spot purchases
• Greater ability to attract external funding - £327,000
• Additional funding from CCG – mental health, dementia, carers
• Showcased contribution of VCS to health and wellbeing priorities
• Promoted greater collaboration between VCS
• Improved sustainability – groups, community centres, organisations
• Catalyst for innovation and social action

14. GP quote:
supportive
and insightful
Patient quote:
I feel there is
much more
to life and I
feel happier
Patient quote: it has been
fantastic, getting out of the
house, meeting nice people,
we are back in society, love
it!
GP quote: fantastic
feedback from
patients and their
families
GP quote: reduces
our workload and
reassures that all
that can be done is
donePatient quote: so many
housebound and disabled
people have a better
quality of life now because
of all you
Patient quote:
something to look
forward to. Feel I’m
doing something to
improve myself and
my situation
GP quote: patients who are
responsive to voluntary
sector referrals have notably
had less need for
presentation to us
Volunteer quote: the reward
for me is seeing people
become brighter, more
talkative, looking forward to
having visitors and making a
new circle of friends
GP quote: unequivocally patients
benefit. Having spoken to patients
they, like me, welcome and
appreciate the service
Patient quote:
gets me doing
things I never
thought
possible
Patient quote: I feel
more confident, I’m
taking my medication,
physical condition
under control

15. Further Information
Links to the full evaluation reports
http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/social-economic
http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/social-economic
Further support from VAR
Janet Wheatley: janet.wheatley@varotherham.org.uk/Linda Jarrold :
linda.jarrold@varotherham.org.uk
Further support from Age UK Rotherham
Lesley Dabell: lesley.dabell@ageukrotherham.org