Evaluation of Welsh Social Prescribing for Mental Health Pilot Service

The experiential benefit of social prescribing is relatively well known. However, there are opportunities to build evidence and to share processes and learning. British Red Cross (hereafter referred to as BRC) will test a social prescribing model across two pilot sites (with each site having slight differences to the model). In delivering these two pilots BRC aims to explore how/to what extent each model can creatively and holistically address people's wide ranging mental health and social care issues by linking them to non-medical sources of support.

A project summary and a draft Theory of Change are included as appendices to this brief. The brief includes the objectives of the project, the target audience and the service delivery model, and the Theory of Change identifies the key activities to be delivered and outcomes to be achieved. In summary, the project aims to:

? Support c. 200 people with low to moderate mental health issues and who are regular users (frequent attenders) of primary care and 999 emergency services.

? Work collaboratively with these people to truly understand their needs and with them put a bespoke plan in place that empowers them to develop alternative non-medical responses to managing mental distress.

? Improve the mental health and well-being of people supported, connect and engage them in their local community and reduce the demand these people place on primary care and 999 emergency services.

The project will be delivered over three years, from 2018 - 2021 and is funded through the Welsh Government. The evaluation will be key to contributing to the evidence on the effectiveness of social prescribing to support mental health needs and support our organisational learning as to how these services can be delivered to support and enhance effectiveness of such services.

BRC are commissioning an external evaluation of the project.