How social prescribing works

In this episode we find out how our Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) programme is supporting partnerships to deliver social prescribing projects.SCSP Manager Graham McQueen chats to three guests who have used our funding to deliver interventions that are improving social, mental and physical health and wellbeing through active and sustainable travel and being outdoors.Inverness GP Dr Katie Walter explains what social prescribing is, how it attempts to break down the barriers people face to improving their health and wellbeing, and how she prefers the term "patient empowerment". She also discusses her own project which has so far helped 400 patients to get active and improve their health.Dr Viola Marx, from NHS Tayside, gives an overview of how her project reinvented the traditional medical prescription by turning it green and prescribing an activity rather than a drug.Forth Environment Link's Emma Thomas talks about how social prescribing worked with a select group of cancer patients in the Forth Valley and what effect the introduction of an ebike had on their recovery and outlook.All our guests discuss the many benefits of social prescribing including its role in the climate emergency.For more information on SCSP and how to apply for a grant, visit www.pathsforall.org.uk/scspopenfund.