NATIONAL AWARDS
We are delighted to have ben an award winning service
We were joint winners of Positive Practice in Mental Health’s Primary and Community Mental Health Care, Westminster Community Mental Health Hubs.
SOCIAL PRESCRIBING
One Westminster established a Social Prescription Service based on residents’ social needs in April 2020, The service is now delivered by eight social prescribers - four working with referrals from GPs, and four working with referrals from the community Mental Health Hubs The social prescribing team now connects almost 2000 people per year with the voluntary sector and support services in Westminster
What is social prescribing?
Social Prescribing is a means of connecting people to the Voluntary and Community Sector to support their health and wellbeing and occasionally to navigate statutory services. Examples of social prescribing needs include;
- Debt and financial difficulties
- Loneliness and Isolation
- Food poverty
- Low mood, anxiety and emotional wellbeing
Once referred, people will be connected to specialist and appropriate organisations and activities and supported to access these with equity
How social prescribing works
When a person is referred into social prescribing, a session will be arranged by the social prescriber to have an initial conversation - a space for people to share 'what matters to them'
A codesigned plan will be agreed between the person referred and the social prescriber detailing what key priorities they will address together, how often they will meet, where meetings take place - by telephone, in person, in the community and what a success may look like
The Social Prescribers work alongside people referred to improve wellbeing, offer guidance and learning opportunities that provide solutions to challenges that may arise in the future. It is hopeful that working alongside social prescribers creates an experience of empowerment
The social prescriber will offer support throughout the journey that is proportionate and appropriate to ensure people referred are connected to the right services
See our leaflet below for more details
PATHWAYS TO REFERRAL
The One Westminster Social Prescription Service works in partnership with Central and North West London Mental Health Trust (CNWL) and Healthcare Central London (HCL). There are two pathways into the service. The first is through the Primary Care Networks. Any health professional in a GP practice can refer people with a social need to the Social Prescriber who works in that practice.
The second pathway is through the Community Mental Health Hubs in Westminster. Referrals via this route are made by mental health professionals working with people in the hubs, people can request their team to make a social prescribing referral for them, or it may be suggested by professionals
To access the Social Prescription Service, people may speak with any health professional at the GP practice they are registered with, alternatively they can speak to a social prescriber at any of our community drop-in sessions
If you are a Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisation or a professional who is involved in supporting someone in the Westminster community, please encourage the person to ask their GP practice to be referred to a social prescriber. If consent is given by the person, your organisation can contact the GP practice on their behalf.
Social Prescribing in the community
The Social Prescribing Team also delivers drop-ins, providing general information and signposting people to services/organisations that can support them with their needs. You can find us:
Tue 22/July/2025 2-4pm at the Stowe Centre
Fri 01/August/2025 1-3pm in Victoria Library
Tue 05/August/2025 2-4 pm at the Stowe Centre
Fri 08/August/2025 1-3 pm in Charing Cross Library
Fri 15/August/2025 1-3pm at The Exchange
Tue 19/August/2025 2-4pm at the Stowe Centre
You are welcome to drop-in and have a short chat with the social prescribers or direct people you are working wiht to any of these sessions
CASE STUDY: A PLACE TO LIVE AT LAST
I am now in my late 50s and up to a few years ago was working and living with my partner in Westminster. A member of my family fell sick and I had to return to my homeland for more than a year to help with their care. Sadly my relative died. When I got back, I found my partner was living with another person in our flat. Still in mourning, I found myself homeless.
“I stayed with friends - sofa surfing - and felt constantly stressed and unhappy. One of the places I stayed in was simply unsafe – it was overrun with young people involved with gangs. My life was upside down. There seemed to be no help on offer for me.
“Referred to One Westminster’s Social Prescribing team by a practice nurse at my GP surgery, my social prescriber has turned out to be a living angel who immediately told me, ‘It's going to be all right’. Not only did she connect me to an organisation that offered support in finding a home, but she stayed in touch and encouraged me throughout the long ordeal of visiting many completely unsuitable places, or worse, finding that somewhere I liked had just been taken by someone else.
“At long last I got the keys to a lovely flat for the over 55s where I am rebuilding my life after the last five tumultuous years. I will never forget the help I received from my social prescriber who rescued me from total despair. To her, I send a million thank yous.”
Julie *
*Name has been changed to protect identity.
A QUALITY SERVICE IS ASSURED
Our Social Prescribing team is made up of trained professionals, with a range of lived and professional experiences that enable our team to remain diverse and representative of the community in Westminster
- Experienced in person-centred approaches. All our Social prescribers are trained in person-centred disciplines and trained in Trauma informed approaches
- Uses updated and quality checked resources
- Part of One Westminster - which as a CVS is an umbrella organisation for the borough’s charities – thereby giving social prescribers meaningful access to local organisations’ services.
- Able to communicate in a range of community languages, including Arabic, French, Hindi and Spanish – and social prescribers speaking these languages are located in GP practices where there is a local need for them.
- Above all the team are dedicated and passionate, working in a relational way to improve lives and wellbeing in the communities they serve
ANNUAL REPORTS
Check out our progress over the last two years.
Contact US
For more information, follow this link to our Contact Us page and scroll down to find contact details for the SOCIAL PRESCRIBING TEAM