David is in his late 60s. He was referred to the SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. by his family doctor after attending the surgery five times in two months with low mood, poor sleep, and a non-specific pain in his chest that had been investigated and was not cardiac.
The first session
The SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. met David in a quiet room at the practice. She did not start with "What's wrong?" — instead she asked, "What matters to you, at the moment?"
David paused. He said the worst thing was that since his wife died last year he had not cooked a proper meal. He used to cook for both of them. Now he ate sandwiches over the sink. He had not been to the bowls club he used to go to with his wife. He felt he had nothing to offer.
The SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. reflected back what she had heard. She did not jump to suggestions. She asked David what an okay week would look like, in his own words.
What changed
Over six sessions across three months, David and the SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. co-produced a personalised care and support plan. He chose two things to start with:
He wanted to cook again — but found the kitchen "too quiet". The SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. connected him to a men's cooking group run by a local community charity, two minutes' walk from his home. The first session was difficult. The second was easier. By the fourth he was the one suggesting recipes.
He was nervous about returning to bowls without his wife. The SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. arranged a coffee with the bowls club's welfare officer (a peer the SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. had worked with before). The officer offered to walk in with David on the first night.
Outcome
After three months, David's primary care attendance had dropped to one visit. His personal wellbeing scores had moved from very low to moderate. He told the SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'.: "I've got a reason to wash the dishes again."
What this case shows
The SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'.'s job was not to fix David. It was to make the right space for David to identify what mattered to him, and then to remove practical and emotional barriers to him acting on it.
The community offer (cooking group, bowls club) was already there. The SPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. connected him to it — and made sure his first contact felt safe.
Outcomes were measured both formally (wellbeing scores) and through David's own words.
