Report urges more arts based social prescribing

The arts should be offered on prescription by the NHS more as an alternative to more traditional methods of primary care recommends a study by the Arts Council of Wales. The report, Arts and Health in Wales - A Mapping study of current activity claims that 20% of patients visit GPs for primarily welfare, rather than medical, problems and adds that social prescribing is a ‘growing and live area of interest’. The NHS and Welsh Government are increasingly exploring ways to relieve pressure on primary care. Social prescribing enables GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer patients to creative activities as a non-clinical alternative to treatment, particularly for people experiencing mental health problems and social isolation.

Read the full report here:
https://www.creativekirklees.com/networks/creative-kirklees/documents/arts-and-health-in-wales.pdf?1522919091