Case studies

A partnership between Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council’s Women’s Support Centre is ensuring women who are involved in or at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system get the support they need for drug and alcohol problems.  

Alvanley Family Practice is an award-winning, person-centred, evidence-based family practice, located in Woodley, Greater Manchester. Their collaborative and forward-thinking social prescribing methodology has gained international recognition amongst healthcare professionals and is being dubbed 'The Alvanley Way'.

The success of East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s (ERYC) HealthiER referral schemes have inspired the expansion of its social prescribing programme.

Brighter Futures is one of the programmes which provides support for adults with mental health needs to access cultural engagement opportunities across Hampshire. The programme is funded by Hampshire County Council’s Adult Community Learning programme and is delivered in partnership with local health and community providers.

Shropshire Libraries, in partnership with public health deliver a myriad of social prescribing opportunities across the county, including 150 reading groups taking place in people’s homes, in libraries and sometimes even pubs.

Lancashire County Council has taken a range of steps to improve the way it supports menopause in the workplace. Workshops, peer support groups and an online chat channel have been provided, creating a much more friendly and supportive environment for staff going through the transition.

Liverpool City Council has worked with the local NHS to set up a network of women’s health hubs in GP surgeries. The hubs offer both NHS and council-commissioned services from cervical screening to long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).

Joint health and care teams have been established in the West Yorkshire district of Wakefield. The teams work from community hubs, helping keep people out of hospital. 

Harrogate Borough Council has set up a community health and wellbeing company, Brimhams Active, to run its gyms, leisure centres and community hubs. 

In Barnsley the hospital trust and council have worked together to create a diagnostic unit in the new retail and leisure centre, which has been developed as part of a £200 million regeneration of the town centre.