Social Prescribing

Many things affect your health and well-being. From feeling isolated or lonely, to being stressed out by work, money and housing problems or sometimes the stress of managing different long-term conditions.

Social prescribing can help you to have more control over your own health and find ways to improve how you feel in a way that suits you.

It can help you with things that can’t be fixed by doctors and medicine alone.

Find out more about the social prescribing services based here at VAR by clicking the titles below.

Rotherham Social Prescribing Service - (helping adults with long-term health conditions and mental health issues improve their health and wellbeing by helping them to access community activities and services)

Link Workers - (there to listen to you, and put you in touch with the people and activities that might help you to feel better)

Here are some early warning signs that you should be aware of that can suggest something may be harming your mental health. These can be one or a number of the following:

mood swings or constantly feeling low
lack of care for personal appearance or personal responsibilities
increased use of alcohol or drugs
thinking life is not worth living
losing interest in things you used to enjoy
withdrawing from social activities and spending less time with friends and family
disturbed sleep, either not getting enough or sleeping too much
eating less than normal or overeating, perhaps losing or gaining weight
feeling irritable, over-sensitive or aggressive
having difficulty concentrating or remembering things
experiencing recurring physical symptoms such as aches and pains or other unexplained illnesses
a drop in work performance
doing things that don’t make sense to others
hearing or seeing things that no one else can hear or see

If you can relate to any of these warning signs, it’s important that you seek help. Talk to a friend or a family member and speak to your GP about support services available to you.

In 2008, the New Economics Foundation identified the key things that contribute to wellbeing. Similar to the concept of eating 5-a-day, the 5 Ways to Wellbeing focuses on mental health and the steps we can all take to protect, maintain and improve our mental wellbeing. The 5 Ways to Wellbeing have been developed by individual organisations over the years, however, they still follow the same principles:

Be active
Connect
Give
Keep learning
Take notice

Further information on the principles – and the activities you may want to consider – is available on the NHS and Rotherham Council websites:

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/

https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/homepage/91/five-ways-to-wellbeing/

RotherHive is a dedicated website which provides a range of verified practical mental health and wellbeing information, support and advice for adults in Rotherham.

Developed by NHS Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), RotherHive has practical tips, national, local and online services, organisations and groups that adults in Rotherham can access for expert advice to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing. It covers areas such as (this list is not exhaustive):

Mental Health, including around COVID-19
Bereavement
Carers
Depression, anxiety and stress
Domestic abuse
Alcohol and drugs
Gambling
Homelessness
Suicide prevention

Further information on the principles – and the activities you may want to consider – is available on the NHS and Rotherham Council websites:

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/

https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/homepage/91/five-ways-to-wellbeing/

If you need immediate help regarding your wellbeing or mental health, the following services are available:

999

If you are in a life-threatening medical or mental health emergency (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk), you should phone the emergency services and ask for an ambulance and potentially the police.

If you are not sure what to do, NHS111 can help – they will ask questions about your symptoms so you get the help you need.

You can contact emergency services via SMS if you are deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment. You will need to register your phone to use this service ( https://www.emergencysms.net ).

SHOUT

SHOUT provides FREE, confidential crisis text support for anyone needing immediate assistance. Text “SHOUT” to 85258 or visit the SHOUT crisis text line website (https://giveusashout.org ).

Samaritans

Samaritans offer FREE 24-hour, 365 days a year listening support on 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org. For further information, visit: https://www.samaritans.org

Rotherham 24/7 Crisis Helpline

Rotherham’s dedicated 24/7 crisis helpline supports those who need urgent help regarding their mental health. Calls are FREE on 0800 652 9571.

Anyone who is unable to use a standard telephone line can use their text service on 0794 603610.

GP support

Mental health services are free on the NHS but in some cases you will need a referral from your GP to access them. Whilst the pandemic has brought with it pressure on GP services, the NHS remains ‘open for business’ and contacting your GP surgery is a useful first step regarding your physical and mental wellbeing. Your GP will be able to signpost you to mental health services as appropriate.

NHS111

If you need help but are not at risk of death, serious illness or imminent harm then you can access NHS111 non-emergency advice online at https://111.nhs.uk. You should only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

If you’re deaf or hearing impaired you can use the NHS111 British Sign Language (BSL) service: https://www.signvideo.co.uk/nhs111

Rotherham and Barnsley Mind

Rotherham and Barnsley Mind is an independent local provider of mental health services in Rotherham, Barnsley and its surrounding areas. Rotherham and Barnsley Mind can be contacted on 01709 919929 or 01226 211188 or email: contactus@rbmind.co.uk

For further information please visit: http://www.rbmind.co.uk

Rotherham Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Team

The Rotherham IAPT Team provides help to adults who are experiencing common mental health problems including Depression, Stress and Anxiety by offering a range of talking therapies. Referrals are generally through an individual’s GP. For further information, please visit: https://iapt.rdash.nhs.uk

Mind

Mind is a mental health charity that provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. It campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding of mental health. For further information, please visit: http://mind.org.uk/information-support/

Mind can be contacted on 0300 123 3393 (calls charged at local rates from a UK landline, charges from mobile phones vary depending on provider). Mind can alos be contacted at: info@mind.org.uk.

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Social Prescribing

What is Social Prescribing?

The aim of Social Prescribing is to improve health and wellbeing by helping people become more connected, resilient and better able to self-care.

Often, people’s health and wellbeing are seen as the domain of GPs and health practitioners, but social prescribing adds another piece of a person’s wellbeing jigsaw, offering supported access to a wide range of community services often delivered by voluntary and community organisations and groups. You can find out more about wider Social Prescribing on the National Academy for Social Prescribing website.

VAR have led on Social Prescribing in Rotherham since its launch in 2012. We play an important role in ensuring people in Rotherham have access to a diverse and thriving voluntary and community sector, who deliver activities and support with and for their participants.

We send out a monthly newsletter for people who work in Social Prescribing, click here to sign up!

Social Prescribing Pathways in Rotherham

There are three defined pathways by which people can access support in Rotherham, and we have a dedicated web page for each service highlighted below:

The below image gives a bit more detail to how these pathways can be accessed.