Abigail Oborne believes that social prescribing’s buzzword status shouldn’t detract from the real and significant impact it can have on people’s lives.
Social prescribing enables health professionals to refer someone to a link worker. A link worker will then help that person to create their own ‘social prescription’ to improve their health and wellbeing. This may be doing an activity, getting advice or joining a local social group or club.
Newly appointed as Community Project Officer for Social Prescribing, Abigail is excited about our new social prescribing service for the over 65s, Better Connected, which will launch in mid-March;
“We know that older people are socially isolated but out in communities, this can be quite a hidden problem.
I’m really looking forward to seeing the Better Connected service help isolated older people rediscover their place in society and make those all-important social connections.”
A key part of Abigail’s role will be to deliver training to allied health professionals, Medway’s voluntary sector and council staff to help them understand what the Better Connected service offers and how to refer into it.
With her background in community engagement for the Pilgrims Hospices in Canterbury, Abigail is really looking forward to working closely with Medway’s voluntary and charity sector.
“There is incredible support out there for older people in Medway and I’m really excited to work with organisations to find new ways to fill any gaps.”
If you or your organisation would like to find out more about social prescribing and how you can refer into the Better Connected service, please Email: healthimprovement@medway.gov.uk
For launch news and updates, follow A Better Medway on Twitter and Facebook
For launch news and updates, follow A Better Medway on Twitter and Facebook
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