Agenda item

Joe Hale, Natalie Dunn, and Lisa Bough were welcomed to the meeting to provide a presentation on My Best Life.  The borough-wide social prescribing service offered an alternative approach for primary and secondary care services, helped to connect communities, and empowered individuals to self-manage their own health.

Members were made aware of the referral criteria, which included frequent attendance at a GP or other health care service, long term conditions, and poor mental wellbeing affected by social circumstances.

An overview was given of the support provided which included assistance with housing, money, accessing work and volunteering, emotional wellbeing and healthy lifestyles.

My Best Life had been operational for a year, and Members heard how there had been 270 referrals within the Central Area, with all GPs surgeries referring to the scheme.  Since the service commenced there had been a 17% reduction in GP appointments, with 4.5 hours of support provided to each client.

Further information was presented in relation to the High Intensity Group, each of which had an average of 10 GP visits prior to referral and 4.2 after.  This group represented 16% of clients, but 65% of advisor time.

From the monitoring undertaken 17% of those providing information reported an increase in feeling optimistic, 17% reported feeling more relaxed and 20% reported an increase in keeping learning.  Members noted the high proportion of clients feeling they were more aware of support services, and were more able to manage their own health needs and conditions.  Also noted was the diverse range of agencies where clients were referred for additional support.

Members noted, and discussed, the challenges specifically faced in the Central Area, which included the need for emotional wellbeing support to be provided in the longer term, the financial pressures faced, the lack of advocacy and tenancy support, and the prevalence of issues of working age men who were facing multiple issues.

A number of case studies were referred to, which served to highlight the issues faced by user of the service, and the praise given to the service by those in receipt of support.

Members discussed the findings, noting that one of the early Central Area Council commissions had sought to engage GPs to refer those feeling isolated for support.  It was acknowledged that overall, more women had been engaged than men, but within the Central Area those defined as the hi-intensity group were often male.

With regards to young families, Members heard how only a small number had been engaged, with much of the client group being elderly or single people.

In relation to targets, for the whole of the service an annual target of 600 per year existed, yet 1144 individuals had been engaged within the first year.

Members praised the work of My Best Life and the importance of the CCG supporting a model of social prescribing

RESOLVED that the officers be thanked for their attendance and the content of the presentation be noted.