The Belgrade Theatre and Coventry & Rugby GP Alliance have joined forces with the aim to improve and support the health and well-being of their local communities by offering monthly social prescribing drop-in sessions.
Angela Hunt, Lead Social Prescriber of Coventry & Rugby GP Alliance said “Social prescribing is a way of looking at a person’s health in a very holistic way. Traditionally if a person has a health issue, they might visit their GP and it will be looked at in a clinical way. Social prescribing will look at the whole picture of a person’s life. It will take into account where they are living, their finances, their social network, their friends, and their family. It is really about connecting people with different opportunities and activities in the local community to support their well-being.”
The sessions at the Belgrade are an opportunity to meet local Social Prescribers face to face to learn more about the service. Social Prescribers offer a friendly space to provide social support, housing support, artistic activities, financial support, lifelong learning, volunteering, and physical well-being. During the drop-ins, service users can expect to receive support and information on the benefits of Social Prescribing, what to expect from their appointments, and how to get the most out of the service.
These monthly surgeries are also an opportunity for freelance artists and organisations in our region to have an information exchange with the social prescribers. They provide an invaluable platform to share current information about workshops and events they are leading which can be socially prescribed into and to gain insight into current health priorities for our city and region.
“Social prescribers are such an important part of the ecology of arts and health because they play a vital role in the link between health organisations and the people that are accessing health organisations. What we have at the Belgrade is an absolute wealth of workshops for all different ages, all different abilities, and people that come from different backgrounds and environments. Our whole approach at the Belgrade is to meet people as they are, where they are, and take people on that journey with them. We are so pleased to be working with Coventry & Rugby GP Alliance and facilitating such important work.” Says Laura Elliot, CEO of the Belgrade Theatre.
Social prescribing can help individuals have more control over their own health and find ways to improve how they feel in a way that suits them. Studies show that people get better and feel better faster than those treated with medicine alone. The team at Coventry & Rugby GP Alliance and the Belgrade Theatre are delighted to be partnering up to offer this support to their local community, share the health benefits of the arts, and bring people together.
