Helping hand for anxiety sufferers

A cross-country project that aims to help people experiencing health problems through loneliness or anxiety has received a £3 million boost.

The Social Prescribing Project, an initiative bringing together a number of community organisations across Scotland and Northern Ireland, has received the money from the Big Lottery Fund.

Under the project, local medical professionals such as GPS and nurses will be able to use “social prescribing” to refer patients who are isolated, experiencing loneliness or having psychological and anxiety symptoms to a person known as a “social prescriber”.

They can then work with the patient to develop a health plan, which includes access to services such as stress management, volunteering opportunities and parent support.

Senior clubs and hubs, youth activities, cooking projects and arts classes can also be accessed.

The groups involved are Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing (SCHW) and the Northern Ireland Healthy Living Centre Alliance (HLCA), which represent a network of organisations.

SCHW chair John Cassidy said: “Social prescribing could change the way primary care is developed for current and future generations.

“It is a holistic approach that can help reduce medication and improve health and wellbeing. It empowers patients and communities.”