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Prescribing paradigms: Understanding general practitioner inclinations towards medical and social prescribing

Watkins, Scott; Barnett, Julie; Corbett, Estelle; Barden, Ruth; Kasperzyk-Hordern, Barbara; Hafner, Rebecca

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Authors

Scott Watkins

Julie Barnett

Estelle Corbett

Ruth Barden

Barbara Kasperzyk-Hordern

Rebecca Hafner



Contributors

Debra Westlake
Editor

Abstract

General practitioners (GPs) face complex decisions when choosing between prescribing medication or referring patients to social prescriptions. Increasing awareness of overprescribing and the risks of polypharmacy are a key driver of patient-centred preventative approaches to healthcare. One such approach, increasingly common in the United Kingdom, is social prescribing (SP). GPs have a central role in prescribing medication or referring to a social prescription. Following a thematic analysis of data from interviews with 12 GPs, this study used the concept of mindlines to frame a consideration of their reasoning about the appropriateness of social prescriptions as adjuncts to or alternatives for medical prescriptions. We identified seven considerations that shaped their decision-making process. These factors spanned the patient’s socioeconomic circumstances, the severity of their symptoms and their expectations. Additionally, GPs factored in their time constraints, the extent to which medical options had been exhausted, and finally issues related to the SP system itself—specifically, the integration of SP workflows in GP practices and resource constraints. SP is, in theory at least, a part of the healthcare system that offers the possibility of improved health both for people and the environment. Our consideration of the role of the GP in this suggests that the challenges for design and evaluation of SP interventions that result in a reduction in medical prescriptions are considerable.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Nov 6, 2024
Online Publication Date Nov 30, 2024
Publication Date Nov 30, 2024
Deposit Date Dec 2, 2024
Publicly Available Date Dec 3, 2024
Journal Health & Social Care in the Community
Print ISSN 0966-0410
Electronic ISSN 1365-2524
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 2024
Issue 1
DOI https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/7964343
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13502484

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