The growth in social prescribing in general practice in England has been ‘striking’, according to researchers.
An analysis of patient records from more than 1,700 practices between 2019 and 2023 found that an estimated 9.4 million GP consultations in England have involved social prescribing codes, and 5.5 million consultations have specifically led to social prescribing referrals.
At 1.3 million, the number of referrals in 2023 alone far surpassed the NHS’s original five-year target of 900,000 patients, the team from University College London found.
The figures show a ‘significant acceleration’ of social prescribing but further analysis also showed ongoing disparities in accessibility and uptake.
Around 60% of patients offered social prescribing were female and 23% were from ethnic minority groups, the study published in The Lancet Public Health showed.
Over time, representation from patients living in more deprived areas increased, moving from 23% to 42% between 2017 and 2023.
The analysis also showed broad acceptability of social prescribing with service refusal declining from 22% to 12% between 2019 and 2023.
Female patients had 21% lower odds of refusal than males, and patients from white ethnic backgrounds had 32% higher odds of refusal than ethnic minority patients.
The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to ensure equitable service access and uptake, the researchers concluded.
And future research should ‘rigorously track’ the implementation of social prescribing and evaluate its long-term health outcomes and cost-effectivenes, they added.
Study leader Dr Feifei Bu, principal research fellow in statistics/epidemiology at University College London said: ‘While we knew social prescribing was growing rapidly, the scale of the uptake has been striking.
‘The number of referrals in 2023 alone has already surpassed the NHS’s original five-year target. That’s a significant acceleration.
‘It is promising to see improved access for people across different ages, ethnic backgrounds, and area deprivation across years.
‘However, our data consistently shows two groups are underrepresented: men and people living in rural areas. This suggests we need more targeted outreach and different types of activities to engage these groups effectively.’
The research team is now tracking not just participation, but tangible results, including wellbeing and the use of health services, Dr Bu added.
Professor Azeem Majeed, a GP and professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, said the rapid growth of social prescribing was a ‘welcome shift’ towards addressing the social determinants of health in primary care.
‘But expansion of social prescribing alone is not enough. What matters is whether social prescribing is making a meaningful difference to people’s lives; particularly for those from more vulnerable groups, such as older people and those living in poverty.’
He added: ‘Policymakers and general practitioners must ask not just how many people are being referred for social prescribing support, but how many are actually better off, and whether the benefits are being shared equitably across all sections of society.
‘In an era when NHS budgets are under severe pressure, it is also essential to consider the cost-effectiveness of social prescribing programmes.’
A version of this article was first published by our sister title Pulse
