Supercharging Social Prescribing by Going Local

It’s #SocialPrescribingDay, the perfect time to celebrate the amazing work happening across the country to connect people with the support they need to thrive. Here at Adur & Worthing Councils, we’re incredibly proud of our Going Local scheme. It’s a brilliant example of how some digital support, combined with the dedication of our Social Prescribing team, can make a real difference to people’s lives.

The Story Behind Going Local

Beginning as a two year pilot project in 2016 when it was realised that a lot of the issues affecting people’s health weren’t just about medicine. Things like housing worries, money troubles, feeling lonely, or not having the chance to get involved in the community were all having a massive impact on people. That’s where the idea for Going Local came from — a way to link residents with the right kind of support, tackling those everyday challenges.

The aim of connecting residents to non-medical community services through referrals from GPs, essentially “prescribing” them to local support groups and activities instead of just medication; it was funded by a partnership between Adur & Worthing Councils, West Sussex County Council, and the Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group.

Making it Happen

To enable these referrals, we needed a digital platform to manage and track cases. Our Digital team was only just forming at that time so with some external support and funding from the Local Government Association, the project kicked off. It was the one of the first on our Liberty Create low-code platform and a great way to prototype and iterate based on real needs discovered by the team.

What did this platform actually do?

• Made it easier to manage cases: Social Prescribers could keep track of everyone they were helping, ensuring no one was left behind.
• Created a directory of services: A one-stop shop for finding the right community support, from lunch clubs to debt advice.
• Improved communication: Everyone involved could stay in the loop, with easy-to-use tools for appointments and reminders.

Award Winning

In July 2017 ‘Going Local’ won Best Not-for-Profit Project at the annual Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards — a massive achievement and the first award for the new team.

The project then got national interest when it was then mentioned by Rishi Sunak MP at the Local Government Association Annual Conference 2018:

“Adur & Worthing is piloting the Going Local service. And here GPs are directly referring patients to the council’s social prescribing team, helping thousands of them become fitter or stop smoking.

The thing that marks out these top class digital services in both public and private sector is a relentless focus on meeting the needs of their users.”

Going Local During the Pandemic

In response to the COVID pandemic, the Going Local team established the Councils’ Community Response in March 2020 to meet the needs of residents. This included providing emergency food provision to hundreds of people in need. The team of social prescribers worked closely with all GP practices in Adur and Worthing to support the COVID vaccination effort.

The Digital team moved fast to support the change in work and adapted the system in just two weeks.

Service Design: Making it Even Better in 2025

We’re always looking for ways to improve Going Local, which is why we’ve brought in service designers from the Digital team. They’re working with the Social Prescribing team to take a fresh look at how the service works, making sure it’s as user-friendly and effective as possible.

Here’s what they’re focusing on:

• Improving collaboration between stakeholders: such as GP’s (PCN’s) and SP officers to ensure that users can benefit from these connections working together more effectively.
• Updating the website: to ensure the relevant information is easily accessible and visible.
• Updating the referral form: to make it easier for users to get across the most important information and for officers to manage this information more effectively.
• Streamlining workflows: Making the whole process smoother and faster.
• Reducing caseloads: Ensuring Social Prescribers have enough time to give everyone the support they deserve.
• Clarifying responsibilities: Making sure everyone knows what they’re doing and when.
• Improving referrals: Getting the right information from GPs so people get the right support from the start.
• Upgrading case tracking system: Improving data management and reporting.

By focusing on these areas, we want to make Going Local even better for both the Social Prescribing team and the people they help.

Real People, Real Impact

The Going Local scheme has made a real difference to people:

• More people are getting help: In 2020, over 2,300 residents received support from Going Local.
• A wide range of needs are being met: From financial worries to mental health support, the team is there to help.
• The community stepped up during COVID-19: The Going Local team organised emergency food provision for hundreds of people in need.
• GPs can focus on what they do best: By connecting people with the right community support, Going Local can help reduce the number of GP appointments for non-medical issues.
• It’s empowering council staff: The scheme encouraged people to come forward with new ideas.

Open Referral UK

We also believe in working together, which is why we’re involved in Open Referral UK, a project to create a national standard for data about community services.

The Open Referral UK standard supports referrals and signposting to services such as mental health support, employment support, housing and financial advice, and digital inclusion.

Why is this important? Because it means that different organisations can share information more easily, making it simpler for people to find the support they need, no matter where they are.

The key benefits of the Open Referral UK initiative include:

• Improved data quality and accuracy
• Reduced duplication of effort
• Enhanced interoperability between systems
• Better support for referrals and signposting
• Increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness

The Future of Going Local

We know that there are always ways to improve, and we’re excited about the future of Going Local. As we temporarily pause the scheme to redesign processes and improve current ways of working, we’re paving the way for a more effective service to its users.

The success of Going Local comes down to a few key things:

• A clear vision: Recognising the importance of social factors in people’s health.
• Digital innovation: Using technology to make services more efficient and accessible.
• Collaboration: Working together across teams and organisations.
• A brilliant Social Prescribing team: Passionate people who are committed to making a difference.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Going Local, please visit the Adur & Worthing Councils website or for more about Social Prescribing visit the National Academy for Social Prescribing. And if you’re a Social Prescriber, thank you for everything you do! You’re making a real difference, one person at a time.