This week attendees had a talk about ‘social prescribing’ from Community Engagement Officer Louise Woolcock from the Oswestry Qube.
Social prescribing started in Shropshire in 2017, working in partnership across health, care and the voluntary and community sectors.
Louise Woolcock explained, “Social prescribing gives people time to talk, one to one, with a trained ‘healthy lives’ advisor to come up with a plan of action together, to help improve health and wellbeing concerns and put the person back in charge of their life.
Many things affect your health and wellbeing. GPs tell us that a lot of people visit them feeling isolated or lonely, or they might be stressed out by work, money and housing problems. Sometimes it’s the stress of managing different long-term conditions. Some people would like to make lifestyle changes such as being more active or losing weight. Your GP and other referring health care professionals can refer you to Social Prescribing. Your Healthy Lives advisor will listen to you and put you in touch with the people and activities that might help you to feel better and improve your life.“
Louise also went on to explain that part of her role was to also ‘signpost” people to any of the range of local voluntary support groups such as Oswestry Cancer Buddies for those touched by cancer.
Oswestry Cancer Buddies meet every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month in the Meeting Room of Oswestry Library, Arthur Street, Oswestry 2.30 to 3.30pm. Linda greets everyone with a smile and a cup of tea or coffee and everyone has a chat.
More information about Oswestry Cancer Buddies is available on Face Book @oswestrycancerbuddies, contacting Linda on 07711 981984 or via email at oswestrycancerbuddies@gmail.com.
(L-R) Linda Lade and Louise Woolcock.
