ROUTINE PRESCRIBING OF ACTIVITY
The evidence that people are not being informed about the benefits of exercise, never mind being referred to a source of support is very strong. in one major study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine showed that only about half of people with common long term conditions like high blood pressure and hyperlipidaemia reported that they had received any advice about the benefits of exercise or diet and the situation is worse for people with mental health problems
“despite an increase in the use of social prescribing for mental health, there was still substantial underuse of it across all attributes in England (the highest percentage seen across all attributes [population sub-groups] in 2020 was 14%).”
Jani A.R. et al (2021)
A novel ontological approach to estimate inequalities and underuse of social prescriptions for mental health in primary care in England
This will however change for two reasons - social prescribing and digital prescribing
Social prescribing
One of the most significant developments in recent years has been social prescribing. In the DHSC report 'Good for You, Good for Us, Good for Everybody' which was the title of a powerful DHSC report produced by the former Chief Pharmacist of the NHS - Keith Ridge, and he emphasised that about 10% of all the drugs prescribed by GPs produced no benefit, and because all drugs, indeed all conventional treatments, can do harm as well good, were doing some harm. He identified as one of the causes of over-prescribing of drugs was the lack of the opportunity for GPs to prescribe "alternatives to medicines such as social and physical activities"
Social prescribing has been introduced to facilitate prescribing "alternatives to medicines such as social and physical activities" and leadership is provided by the National Academy for Social Prescribing and social pressuring professionals are now working with every Primary Care Network and Team.
Digital Prescribing
The development of the W:ISH activity prescription system, approved now by NHS Digital, will play a major role in the development of Activity Therapy. W:ISH enables the GP information system to produce an Activity Prescription personalised to take into account the person's:
Obviously low rates of digital access among older age group make this a challenge but many AgeUK groups and library services are promoting digital inclusion, but the impact of deprivation on the use of digital services means that care has to be taken so that inequity is not increased by using a digital approach.
Support from Pharmacies
The prescription will be issued automatically and like drug prescriptions the activity prescription will always be copied to the pharmacist. Like the practice nurse & the receptionist, the pharmacy assistant can play a very important part by encouraging the person who has had activity prescribed. Pharmacies could also supply equipment as well as encouragement and the excellent drivers delivering prescribed drugs could also deliver weights and other equipment.
The evidence that people are not being informed about the benefits of exercise, never mind being referred to a source of support is very strong. in one major study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine showed that only about half of people with common long term conditions like high blood pressure and hyperlipidaemia reported that they had received any advice about the benefits of exercise or diet and the situation is worse for people with mental health problems
“despite an increase in the use of social prescribing for mental health, there was still substantial underuse of it across all attributes in England (the highest percentage seen across all attributes [population sub-groups] in 2020 was 14%).”
Jani A.R. et al (2021)
A novel ontological approach to estimate inequalities and underuse of social prescriptions for mental health in primary care in England
This will however change for two reasons - social prescribing and digital prescribing
Social prescribing
One of the most significant developments in recent years has been social prescribing. In the DHSC report 'Good for You, Good for Us, Good for Everybody' which was the title of a powerful DHSC report produced by the former Chief Pharmacist of the NHS - Keith Ridge, and he emphasised that about 10% of all the drugs prescribed by GPs produced no benefit, and because all drugs, indeed all conventional treatments, can do harm as well good, were doing some harm. He identified as one of the causes of over-prescribing of drugs was the lack of the opportunity for GPs to prescribe "alternatives to medicines such as social and physical activities"
Social prescribing has been introduced to facilitate prescribing "alternatives to medicines such as social and physical activities" and leadership is provided by the National Academy for Social Prescribing and social pressuring professionals are now working with every Primary Care Network and Team.
Digital Prescribing
The development of the W:ISH activity prescription system, approved now by NHS Digital, will play a major role in the development of Activity Therapy. W:ISH enables the GP information system to produce an Activity Prescription personalised to take into account the person's:
- diagnosis or diagnoses
- treatment eg the drugs that have been prescribed
- postcode
- sex
Obviously low rates of digital access among older age group make this a challenge but many AgeUK groups and library services are promoting digital inclusion, but the impact of deprivation on the use of digital services means that care has to be taken so that inequity is not increased by using a digital approach.
Support from Pharmacies
The prescription will be issued automatically and like drug prescriptions the activity prescription will always be copied to the pharmacist. Like the practice nurse & the receptionist, the pharmacy assistant can play a very important part by encouraging the person who has had activity prescribed. Pharmacies could also supply equipment as well as encouragement and the excellent drivers delivering prescribed drugs could also deliver weights and other equipment.
