Social prescribing for older people in the time of COVID drawing on the cultural sector
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In recent years, the cultural sector (i.e. gardens and open spaces, galleries, museums, heritage sites, theatres, and libraries) has supported public wellbeing (e.g. by providing a space for relaxation and distraction, volunteering opportunities, or putting on activities for specific populations). Such provision can be considered as part of the ‘community assets’ (e.g. groups, organisations, charities, activities) that are central to social prescribing.
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting what the cultural sector can offer, at a time when significant mental and/or social consequences of the crisis are anticipated (e.g. fear, low mood, money worries), especially among older people. From the outset, this population was identified as ‘at risk’ from the condition itself and responses to it (e.g. extreme loneliness).
Our research will explore how the cultural sector adapts to support older people’s wellbeing. This will allow us to provide recommendations to the cultural sector about being 'referral-ready' (O’Neill, 2010) for social prescribing with older people in the context of the current pandemic and future ones. We will use a realist approach to explore what works, for whom, why and in what circumstances. This will involve developing a programme theory on how the cultural sector might be best mobilised and engaged to support older people's resilience during and after the pandemic.
For details on the objectives associated with this project, click here.
Project update
On the 20th Sept 2021, we held an end of study workshop. At this meeting, participants discussed key findings from the research. Together, in small groups, they developed some potential recommendations to come from this work. These discussions were captured on Jamboards, a copy of which can be downloaded here:
This research is funded by UKRI/AHRC (AH/V008781/1).
Meet the team:
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Kamal R. Mahtani
GP & Professor of Evidence Based Healthcare
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Stephanie Tierney
Associate Professor
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Geoff Wong
Professor of Primary Care
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Amadea Turk
Senior Research Fellow
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Emma Webster
Research and Impact Support Officer, Gardens, Libraries & Museums
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Kerryn Husk
PenARC Senior Research Fellow Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health), University of Plymouth
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Caroline Potter
Senior Research Fellow, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford
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Harriet Warburton
Research and Impact Manager, Gardens, Libraries & Museums, University of Oxford
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Beth McDougall
Community Engagement Officer: Older People, Gardens, Libraries & Museums, University of Oxford
Contact us:
Questionnaire for link workers on gardens, libraries, museums and social prescribing
Blogs related to this project:
‘Where are we going? What are we doing?’: Reflections on the World Cafe Stakeholder Event
This blog reflects on the MoRRE study's World Cafe stakeholder event, where patients, clinicians, researchers and policymakers explored how additional roles can be better integrated into primary care, identifying priorities for implementation, support, evaluation and future policy development.
Building Bridges Between Community and Primary Care: Insights from Belgium and England
This blog has been written by Emilie Op de Beeck, pharmacist by training and now a PhD researcher at the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health in University of Antwerp. She describes work she is undertaking comparing community health workers in Belgium and link workers in England whilst on a visit to the University of Oxford.
Mother-well: Creative collaborations
In this blog, Marta Santillo describes the Mother-well project that she led, which centred on co-production and nature-based support for new mothers.
Please, let’s walk before we can run!
Social Prescribing Day highlighted physical activity referrals as a way to reduce GP pressure. But without the relational support that link workers provide, activity-based interventions risk repeating the shortcomings of earlier exercise referral schemes, writes Chris Banks-Pillar.
Inclusive Volunteering: Building Healthier Communities this Social Prescribing Day
On 26 March 2026, Social Prescribing Day celebrates the power of community-based support in improving people’s health and wellbeing. Social prescribing connects people to activities, groups, and services that help them live healthier, more connected lives. One example of something that could form part of a social prescription is volunteering. This blog reports on a study around inclusive volunteering.
European research on social prescribing – the SP-EU study
Stephanie Tierney is a co-applicant and qualitative workstream lead for a study called Social Prescribing Europe (SP-EU). Debra Westlake is a researcher on the project responsible for the qualitative interviews and analysis. Both are also involved in the study’s process evaluation and training of link workers employed to work in the study. Here they describe the study’s aims and how it is progressing.