Portsmouth social prescribers use social media to push self care message

Self care poster by the Island City Network primary care network

A SOCIAL prescribing team are on a mission to use social media to help people care better for themselves.

The Island City Network primary care network, which incorporates Lake Road Surgery, Derby Road Practice and Sunnyside Medical Centre, have launched a YouTube channel and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to spread videos about topics including mental health, sleep, exercise and mindfulness as part of NHS Self Care Week.

Head of the social prescribing team Sarah Croft said: ‘This is the week where the NHS focuses on helping our patients to help themselves look after both their physical and mental health.

In past years this would have meant posters and promotions in surgeries but this year is very different as we don’t have many patients coming into surgeries because of coronavirus, our footfall is greatly reduced.

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‘We still wanted to reach out to people and help them with issues around health that can help them and particularly at a time which has been hard on everyone.