Social prescribing in a nutshell
The recently published NHS England GP Access Plan includes the ambition to increase "self-directed care" for patients. As such, Integrated Care Boards (ICB) are further developing their role in connecting people to community-based services. It is this connection between primary care and wider community services that is known as social prescribing.
Primary Care Networks (PCN) are recruiting link workers to achieve the aim of providing access for every person in England to social prescribing services via their GP practice. These link workers give time to patients, focusing on “what matters to me?”. Working in partnership with patients, they develop a simple personalised care and support plan that assists people with taking control of their health and wellbeing - and connects them with existing community groups and services for support.
Many people go to their GPs because it’s a way to seek help that is familiar. Social prescribing provides a way to enable general practitioners to help support people who have more than medical or clinical needs.
Babblevoice and enhanced connectivity for primary care
Babblevoice telephony is specialised for primary care. It is designed to enable collaboration both within multi-disciplinary teams and between health teams and their patients. Its advanced cloud telephony technology enables swift and seamless connections.
This makes it simple for GPs to refer patients to a social prescribing link worker at the touch of a button. And it supports link workers in signposting and connecting patients to community services.
EMIS and Social Prescribing Information
The Social Prescribing Information Standard, introduced by the Professional Records Standard Body (PRSB) earlier this year, enables the sharing and recording of information for the whole patient journey. From initial referral, throughout the period of social prescribing and the message back to the referrer and GP at its conclusion.
Babblevoice is seamlessly integrated with EMIS which enables Link Workers to simply and quickly update patient records with social prescribing referrals and interventions. This allows patients to receive joined up healthcare and avoids them having to retell their story multiple times.
User-focused and integrated technology
Babblevoice uses natural English commands for its configurations. This helps it to be intuitive to set up. It’s also highly adaptive so it can be configured to suit individual surgery or PCN requirements.
Link workers can set up shortcuts and automated diverts to help them more easily connect with regularly accessed groups or services. They can also access relevant call data and reporting to assist with social prescription management and decision making.
A range of health tech providers are now offering digital solutions to support social prescribing referrals. Babblevoice’s intelligent design allows it to be integrated with other NHS approved systems where it benefits a surgery or PCN to do so.
If you’re a social prescribing link worker, GP partner, or PCN/ICB commissioner and you’d like to find out more about how babblevoice and EMIS can support social prescribing, contact us at info@babblevoice.com.
