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Working in social prescribing services: A qualitative study

Beardmore, Amy

Authors

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Amy Beardmore Amy2.Beardmore@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Public Health



Abstract

Purpose: Social prescribing (SP) is an emerging area of public health that has the potential to alleviate pressure on primary care by offering non-clinical solutions to health problems. Whilst there is an increasing body of literature exploring service design and impact, there is little research that focuses specifically on the SP workforce. The purpose of this paper is to explore routes into SP, worker’s experiences of the sector and potential career progression. Design/methodology/approach: For this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight members of the SP workforce with varying levels of responsibility from within six different organisations in an urban/suburban area of South West England. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Pathways into the sector were varied, and those without direct experience often brought transferable skills from other professions. Careers in SP were clearly rewarding, and some providers had established good support structures for staff. However, some participants were in need of additional training in areas such as collaborative working and staff management. Staff working at a more senior level – particularly in community-based organisations – seemed less well supported overall, with limited career progression. Staff in such organisations also reported working beyond contractual hours. Originality/value: This study has revealed inconsistencies between the experiences of staff in some community organisations vs those associated with larger, more established services. It has also highlighted a need for further training and capacity building in some areas. These findings may be of interest to those commissioning or funding SP services in the future.

Citation

Beardmore, A. (2019). Working in social prescribing services: A qualitative study. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 34(1), 40-52. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-02-2019-0050

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 19, 2019
Online Publication Date Nov 4, 2019
Publication Date Nov 4, 2019
Deposit Date Sep 23, 2019
Publicly Available Date Sep 24, 2019
Journal Journal of Health Organization and Management
Print ISSN 1477-7266
Publisher Emerald
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 34
Issue 1
Pages 40-52
DOI https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-02-2019-0050
Keywords social prescribing; Workforce; Career Development; social prescribers; healthcare workforce; Primary care
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/3217314

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