Chief Investigators: Dr Leire Ambrosio. Lecturer. School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton and Mari Carmen Portillo. Professor of Long-term Conditions. School of Health Sciences, University of Southampto.

Team:  

• Skaiste Linceviciute. Research Fellow. Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, David Baldwin. Professor of Psychiatry and Section Head, Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton

• Joseph Jenness. Senior Manager at Southampton Voluntary Services. SO:Linked

• Jade Topham. Social Prescribing Link Worker, Southampton North PCN

• William Barnaby Jones. NIHR ARC Wessex PPIE, University of Southampton

• Traci Carroll. PPIE Representative as part of the NIHR ARC Wessex PPIE group, University of Southampton

• Siân Brand. Chair of Social Prescribing Network, Social Prescribing Network

Partners: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton, Anxiety UK, Social Prescribing Network, SO: Linked.

Start: 1 October 2024

End: 31 March 2026

Background to the research

As part of the NHS Long Term Plan in rolling out an integrated approach built around personalised care, NHS England has initiated the Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLW) model to offer personalised support for patients in primary care facing continued pressures with long-term conditions, and to bridge fragmented healthcare systems with key community stakeholders through joined-up approaches (NHS, 2019). Our recent SPLW project demonstrated that despite Link Workers’ positive and multifaceted impact, the current efforts lack standardised approach and robust guidance that delay and complicate the work of SPLWs in delivering coordinated support for addressing the needs of adults with long-term physical and mental health conditions. Key challenges related to the lack of collaborative planning, expectations management, and limited communication with multidisciplinary teams. This leaves SPLWs managing complex cases with overstretched workload and with patients struggling to achieve sustainable, long-term support for the management of their physical and mental health LTCs.

Aims of the research

Informed by the findings of our previous SPLW project, a need has emerged to develop a consistent SPLW framework that sets out sustainable and integrated pathway that can optimise social prescribing services in the community, standardise guidance for training support and is equipped to support the long-term management of complex needs of adults with physical and mental health LTCs.