Challenges and Opportunities for Social Prescribing in Germany: Policy and Methodological Perspectives

In the German healthcare system, patients are expected to undertake the task of coordinating their own social and medical care. Patients with non-medical health related problems often present to GP surgeries. However, many GPs do not feel confident managing these problems. Hence, there is a high need for new care models such as social prescribing. However, a significant obstacle to the implementation of social prescribing is strictly separated welfare sectors. In the first part of the chapter, we will explore these obstacles from a policy perspective. In the second part, we will analyse what evidence is needed to implement social prescribing. In the last part, we present alternative approaches to social prescribing in the German health care system such as “Gesundheitskiosk,” social workers in general practice, and politically motivated primary care centres in socially deprived neighbourhoods. While integrated care approaches could reduce health disparities in areas with high social deprivation, social prescribing and social care provision in GP practices could serve as a comprehensive nationwide approach.