Why it works — the evidence base
Social prescribing is not a hunch. The evidence base built over the last decade shows it makes a measurable difference for the people who use it and for the wider system.
What the research tells us
- International reviews of social prescribing schemes consistently find improvements in wellbeing, reduced isolation, and connection to support that medical services alone cannot provide.
- Population-level work on health equity (e.g. on the social determinants of health) shows that addressing the social conditions that drive illness is essential to reducing inequalities — and that community-rooted approaches like social prescribing are part of how that gets done.
- The Global Social Prescribing Alliance is building a global evidence base, sharing learnings from social prescribing programmes across countries, populations and health systems.
What it changes
Social prescribing tackles issues that drive ill-health but live outside the clinic. Done well, it:
- improves wellbeing and reduces isolation
- supports people to manage long-term conditions
- strengthens community resilience and connections
- helps reduce avoidable demand on health services
- offers a route into employment and meaningful activity, including for people whose lived experience qualifies them for the role itself.
Where it fits in health policy
Across multiple countries, social prescribing is being adopted into mainstream health and care policy — as a way to make personalised care a routine part of how systems work, not an extra. , and the roles that work alongside them, are the workforce making it real.
Read more
- & programme research and evidence library
- Country-specific evidence in your region — your national chapter is a good starting point.