Sometimes life feels hard, and there are many possible reasons why you might not be feeling like yourself – money difficulties, stress at work or family problems, to name a few.
You might feel lonely, worried, or just a bit low – and getting the right support at the right time can help you get through a difficult time in your life.
Social prescribing is a way to help you feel better by doing things you enjoy. It can help you to:
- Feel better in body and mind
- Need your GP less often
- Make healthy choices
- Build friendship groups so you feel stronger when life gets hard.
How does social prescribing work?
You’ll see one of our friendly Social Prescribing Link Workers who you can talk to in private without judgement.
They will listen to you and help you find fun things to do and groups who can support you. They can even attend activities with you at first, if you’re worried about going alone.
After finding out what is important to you, your Link Worker can help you choose from a range of options, including:
- Sports and outdoor activities
- Community groups and volunteering
- Learning new skills and knowledge
- Financial advice services.
If you wish, your Link Worker can continue to see you to check on how you are getting on, and if you need any further support.
You don’t need a GP referral to access this service – just fill out a self-referral form to get started.
This service is for patients age 18 and over, who are registered at Royal Primary Care Chesterfield East (Inkersall, Rectory Road, Grangewood) and West (Ashgate, Holme Hall, Whittington) surgeries.
For young people between the ages of 14 and 18 who live in the Chesterfield area, we recommend Thr1ve – a social prescribing service by Chesterfield FC Community Trust.