An International Perspective on Social Prescribing: Introduction

As for 2023, at least 25 countries around the world have introduced social prescribing, albeit at different scales and different ways. Social prescribing is an approach which attempts to connect individuals to non-clinical sources of support, often via a link worker who is responsible for connecting individuals to support delivered by the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector. Thus, social prescribing works closely with the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector and the community to encourage the use of its assets and attempts to pursue a range of other aims including health and care system integration, prevention, personalisation to improve management of care, reduction of health inequalities and relieve pressure in primary care. This book discusses these themes by drawing on the experience of social prescribing in England, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Singapore and Canada. It will examine the similarities and differences but also unpack the key common principles underpinning social prescribing across countries. This introduction will examine in more detail the definition(s) of social prescribing and the drivers of social prescribing. The rest of this book is structured around three key themes examined in each country: policy, research and practice which, we hope, will be useful to a wide audience including policy makers, link workers, VCFSE sector representatives, researchers and students.