Recommendation 12

If the NHS is serious about prevention, it seems perverse to reduce support for social prescribing. The benefits of social prescribing will only be realised at scale if it is recognised by the Department as a core mechanism for increasing physical activity, particularly among older people and those with long-term conditions. To fulfil its potential, social prescribing must be prioritised within the health system and supported with the workforce development, infrastructure and national leadership necessary to prescribe physical activity routinely and confidently. Social prescribing link workers are a vital bridge between the health system and the community-based organisations that deliver physical activity opportunities to older people. By connecting people to local programmes that reflect their interests and circumstances, link workers can turn clinical advice to become more active into meaningful, sustained behaviour change. (Conclusion, Paragraph 47)