Social Prescribing in the UK: The Role of Organizational Networks and Implications for the US

Abstract

Social prescribing (SP), a National Health Service England initiative, utilizes non-clinical interventions to support health and well-being by connecting patients with community resources. Through interviews and observations in Sunderland and Pittsburgh, I explore the role organizational networks and relationships play in the client referral process and SP. This study investigates: (1) the impacts of networks on organizational function and referral capacity, (2) how SP-to-organization and organization-to-organization relationships are formed and maintained, and (3) how SP-to-organization and organization-to-organization networks facilitate more efficient referrals. A cross-city comparison highlights differences in organizational funding structures, as well as motivations for, and barriers to, collaboration. SP acts as a navigation service and “access node” for patients, in contrast to decentralized referral methods in Pittsburgh. In Sunderland, strong interpersonal and organizational relationships are central to SP. In Pittsburgh, this study identifies gaps in client service navigation support; SP could provide a constructive solution to this issue.