Annual Social Prescribing Conference for Medical Students

and Junior Doctors - 2019

Social Prescribing is a way of linking patients in primary care with sources of support, often using services provided by the voluntary and community sector. It provides GPs with a non-medical referral option that can operate alongside existing treatments to improve physical health, mental wellbeing, and quality of life. The aim is to direct patients to local, non-clinical community services which in term will help them become more confident in managing their own health. Examples include voluntary work agencies, further education, libraries, social clubs, self-help groups, hobby clubs and sports clubs.

Bogdan said: “Organising an event of this scale and a national scheme as a fourth-year Medical student makes me feel proud to be studying at the University of Exeter, especially because the Medical School has always been supportive of new ideas and input from students.”

The conference featured a keynote address by Sir Sam Everington, Chair of NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group. He said: “It was an incredibly inspiring conference, and filled me with massive energy to promote social prescribing. It was such a joy to see people at the beginning of their careers in medicine so full of enthusiasm to better the environment and patient care. It left me with such hope for the future.”

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Vice Chair at the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “It was such a pleasure attending this national conference and meeting so many very bright and enthusiastic students.”