Community Enhanced Social Prescribing (CESP)

Research team

• Martin Webber
• Cheyann Heap

Co-Investigators

• Dr Julie Ridley - Centre for Citizenship and Community, University of Central Lancashire (UClan)
• Professor David Morris - Centre for Citizenship and Community, UClan
• Dr Peter A. Coventry - Department of Health Sciences, University of York
• Ms Annette Bauer - Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, London School of Economics (LSE)

The research project

Social prescribing is a mental health intervention that involves linking people up with their local community – be that exercise groups, art classes, social groups, or even debt advice and alcohol support.

Aims

We want to find out what happens when you combine social prescribing (using the “Connecting People” theoretical model) and community-building (using the “Connected Communities” model). This is called Community-Enhanced Social Prescribing (CESP). The current study tests the feasibility of CESP.

To do this, we are working with a charity called Bluesci Trafford.

Bluesci already provide social prescribing services, and are embedded in their local community. They have set up a “community panel” of 12 local people, who map what is available in their area. This can be anything which contributes to people’s wellbeing (walks, activities, meeting places, places of worship, neighbourhood groups, and so on). The map will be used by social prescribers, and will also be available to all local residents.

Partners Panel

Alongside the community panel we have a "partners panel" of professionals from the local authority, local charities, and other organisations. The partners panel will support the community panel to make changes in their local community, if any gaps are identified during the mapping process.

Evaluation and Impact

We are evaluating the impact of CESP using measures of wellbeing, loneliness, and sense of community. This is on two levels: firstly, we are measuring outcomes for people who receive social prescribing. Secondly, we are doing doorstep surveys with residents in the community, to see whether CESP has a wider impact on the local area. These evaluations will take place over a 12-month period. At the end of the study, we will also conduct qualitative interviews with people involved in CESP to see what the process has been like.

Taking part 

Do you live in Greater Manchester? Do you have 5-10 minutes to complete a survey? If so, please click here!

As part of the CESP study we are seeking respondents from Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Wigan and City of Manchester. 

Our survey contains 15 statements which you rate on a 1-5 scale. You will be asked how you feel about where you live ("sense of community"), and about your personal well-being over the past two weeks. The survey is anonymous. 

If you have any questions, please contact Chey Heap at cheyann.heap@york.ac.uk

Further information