FOI Ref: 0126FOI1920 

23^rd October 2019

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request for Information

We are pleased to respond to your request for information and our response is set out below:

Request 

Social prescribing, sometimes referred to as community referral, is a means of enabling GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services. Social prescribing schemes can support people with a wide range of social, emotional and practical needs and is provided by voluntary and community sectors organisations. Examples include volunteering, arts activities, group learning, gardening, befriending, cookery and a range of sports. 

Please answer the questions below in relation to social prescribing at your organisation. 

1. What was the CCGs total spend on social prescribing in 18/19?

2. Please provide the CCGs total forecast expenditure on social prescribing for 19/20?

3. How many patients were referred to a social prescribing programme in 18/19?

4. Does the CCG have a target number of patients to be referred to a social prescribing programme? If so, please provide detail of the CCGs target

5. What quantifiable benefits has the CCG achieved, or hoping to achieve (financial and/or operational) through the utilisation of social prescribing? (e.g. a reduction in A&E attendances, savings from reduction in drug costs etc.)

6. What is the name and job title of the individual who leads on social prescribing at your organisation? 

7. Does your organisation use a third-party software to manage/support social prescribing? (services offered by the third-party provider may include manages patient referrals, enables self-referrals, directory of social prescribing programmes etc.)

8. If yes, please state the name of the supplier (e.g. Elemental Software, Public Consulting Group)

9. What was the annual cost to the CCG in 18/19 for using this supplier? 

Response  

From a CCG perspective we provide funding through our Better Care Fund pooled arrangements to Sheffield City Council who manage the Social prescribing commissioning / contract monitoring including data flows / key performance Indicators 

For more detailed information, please contact Sheffield City Council. You can either complete an online request form here: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/your-city-council/freedom-of-information-request.html  

or you can write to:   

Information Management Team 
Business Change & Information Solutions (BCIS) 
Sheffield City Council 
PO Box 1283 
Sheffield 
S1 1U