Policy Landscape

Social prescribing has full endorsement by the North East Population Health Alliance (NEPHA) to support pilot projects starting-up with an ambition to see a model rolled out across the Grampian. In June 2025, the Scottish Government and COSLA published Scotland’s Population Health Framework 2025-2035. The aim to improve Scottish life expectancy by embedding prevention throughout the health care system. Within the framework there is reference for Scotland to develop a national Social Prescribing Framework which will bring Scotland up-to-date with neighbouring UK nations. 

This will include: 

  • provision of referral links to health and wellbeing support in local communities 
  • developing a shared definition of social prescribing in Scotland 
  • supporting effective models of social prescribing based on existing good practice, including community link working 
  • improving equitable access and consistency in delivery regardless of the setting 
  • supporting workforce development and enabling better data sharing 
  • ensuring social prescribing supports ongoing efforts to tackle social isolation and loneliness 

The progress to-date across Grampian around social prescribing will be shared with colleagues leading on the national framework to include lessons learnt, highlighting the challenges as well as the success stories when implementing and delivering social prescribing approaches. 

For the purposes of this toolkit the focus will be on GP Practices, however there are similarities when considering to implement social prescribing across the wider health care system e.g. Allied Health Professionals, Secondary Care etc. In recent years across the North East there are several GP practices aspiring to develop and build upon the current Community Link Worker (CLW) Programme. The CLW role in Scotland was introduced in 2016, following the Scottish Government’s commitment to placing at least one CLW in every GP practice (recruiting at least 250 community link workers). Initially funded through the national mental health budget, most CLW teams were embedded within primary care mental health services, with a strong emphasis on supporting mental health. A review of the CLW national programme was published in 2023 highlighting the progress, including the challenges with the programme. 

The scope of social prescribing extends well beyond mental health concerns. It holds significant potential to address a wide range of health and wellbeing needs by connecting individuals to community resources and support. This includes access to the natural environment through what is commonly known as green and blue social prescribing—where “green” refers to land-based nature activities and “blue” involves water-related experiences. These approaches offer valuable opportunities to enhance overall wellbeing through meaningful, non-clinical interventions. The National Academy for Social Prescribing shares evidence on the benefits time spent in nature. 

Our Natural Health Service programme championed by Scottish Government’s Chief Medical Officer aims to maximise the potential benefits of our natural environment to human health and wellbeing. Green Health Partnerships were piloted across Scotland to explore how cross-sectoral working can improve individual and community health and wellbeing through engagement with nature. 

Social prescribing represents a transformative cultural shift in healthcare, encouraging both practitioners and patients to move beyond the default of traditional clinical prescriptions. Instead, it promotes a more holistic, person-centred approach that addresses the wider determinants of health—such as social isolation, physical inactivity, and financial stress. While social prescribing has gained traction within Primary Care Services, its potential extends far beyond. There is a growing opportunity to embed social prescribing across the broader health and social care system. 

This approach aligns with national health agendas and the principles of  Realistic Medicine, which advocate for: 

  • Reducing unnecessary medical interventions 
  • Personalising care 
  • Empowering patients to make informed choices 
  • Promoting shared decision-making 

By avoiding over-prescription and offering alternative, non-clinical interventions, clinicians can support long-term wellbeing and reduce pressure on overstretched services.