A rapid review of opportunities and challenges in the implementation of social prescription interventions for addressing the unmet needs of individuals living with chronic long-term conditions

Abstract

Abstract Background People with chronic conditions often struggle to access and navigate complex health and social services. Social prescription (SP) interventions, a patient-centered approach, help individuals identify their holistic needs and increase access to non-clinical resources, thus leading to improved health and well-being. This review explores existing SP interventions for people with chronic conditions and identifies the opportunities and challenges of implementing them in primary healthcare (PHC) settings. Methods This rapid review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and involved searching for relevant articles in three databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science) by using subject headings and keywords combined with Boolean operators. This search encompassed articles published between January 2010 and June 2023 in selected databases. Two authors independently conducted data screening and abstraction using predefined criteria, and a narrative synthesis was performed to summarise the literature. Results Fifteen studies were included, with all but one conducted in the United Kingdom, and revealed that social prescribers help guide patients with chronic diseases to various local initiatives related to health and social needs. Effective implementation of SP interventions relies on building strong relationships between social prescribers and patients, characterised by trust, empathy, and clear communication. A holistic approach to support, digital technology utilisation, competent social prescribers, collaborative healthcare partnerships, clinical leadership, and access to local resources are all vital components of successful SP intervention. On the other hand, the implementation of SP interventions faces numerous challenges, including accessibility and utilisation barriers, communication gaps, staffing issues, an unsupportive work environment, inadequate training, lack of awareness, time management struggles, coordination and collaboration difficulties, and resource constraints. Conclusion The present review emphasises the importance of addressing the holistic needs of people with chronic conditions through collaboration and coordination, training of social prescribers, community connections, availability of local resources, and primary care leadership to ensure successful interventions, ultimately leading to improved patient health and well-being outcomes. This study calls for the need to develop or utilise appropriate tools that can capture people's holistic needs, as well as an implementation framework to guide future contextual SP interventions.