{"value":{"id":1363667,"askingMemberId":4471,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2021-10-26T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2021-10-28T00:00:00","uin":"63775","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that social prescribing practitioners receive the support they require to find suitable social prescribing placements.","answeringBodyId":17,"answeringBodyName":"Department of Health and Social Care","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4492,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2021-11-05T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>NHS England and NHS Improvement provide support for social prescribing link workers as follows:</p><p> </p><p>- A free online learning programme accredited by Health Education England, which includes topics on asset-based community development, working with the voluntary sector, supporting community services to be accessible and sustainable and delivering activities or groups;</p><p>- A fortnightly webinar series, including topics on connecting to different types of community services, such as sports and physical activities, community hubs and unemployment services;</p><p>- A fortnightly social prescribing bulletin sharing information about national community offers and services;</p><p>- An online collaboration platform, where link workers can connect and share information on local offers and seek advice; and</p><p>- A regional support package including peer support sessions for link workers to share local knowledge and the National Academy of Social Prescribing ‘Thriving Communities’ programme.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England and NHS Improvement have produced a welcome guide for new link workers, and guidance to primary care on the role of social prescribing practitioners. The primary care guidance includes a checklist for link workers on working with the voluntary sector, including the quality markers and assurance they should look for in community services before supporting an individual to access them.</p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Social Prescribing","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1363667","method":"GET"}]}