We have been co-located with general practice at Darnall Primary Care Centre since May 2013, sponsored by the Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group, now South Yorkshire ICB. Our location enables social wellbeing activity to take place under one roof, so that healthier behaviours can become the norm thanks to our health walks and other groups meeting in the centre. We ascribe this burgeoning community or social movement to the fact that “health is contagious”.
Barriers are broken down between community and services. Our volunteers rub shoulders with GPs in the staff kitchen and our workers have informal conversations with primary care staff prior to referrals being made. These sort of interactions help promote health because DWB and the community is part of the process and involved at an early stage, rather than simply being an end referral point.
The Clover Group – Darnall Practice Manager has likened our distinctive role to:
A maitre d’ of services; people come through the door and DWB takes them by the hand and guides them to the right support.
Local GP, Dr Farrell, said:
Overall, it is hard to put a value on the role the staff and volunteers play in the health and well-being for the people of Darnall & Tinsley, especially those most vulnerable. All the activities promote increasing human connection and a sense of community at their core, which is likely the reason the activities remain popular. I can certainly apply some of what I have learned to my future consultations as a GP, but more importantly, I have seen first-hand the value of activities outside of the consulting room!
And Emma Johnson, Support Manager at Clover Darnall Practice said:
Waqas attends our Quarterly PPG ( Patient participation group) as an advocate for the work and groups DWB provide – each time we are amazed at just how much can be accessed for the local community and it is evident that those who attend the support groups provided heavily rely on this engagement.
More recently Waqas has supported me directly with trying to increase the uptake of annual health checks at DPCC , particularly for those patients registered with a serious mental illness or learning disability , putting me in touch with volunteers at charities such as Mencap and Mind, with a view to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for those who may find it difficult to attend multiple appointments. His knowledge of the local community and services available to support patients is invaluable.
The practices we work with
As part of our collaborative work, we work with the Seven Hills Primary Care Network in providing a social prescribing Link Worker service across five local surgeries – Clover Darnall, Clover North, Clover Highgate, Tinsley Medical Centre and Handsworth Medical Practice, as well as two more in the city centre – Mulberry and Clover City practices.
Our Link Workers are not medically trained – they support local people in providing purely non-medical interventions, as well as signposting them to other community and statutory organisations that are suitable for their needs. We do not make appointment bookings or answer queries on behalf of any of the surgeries – please contact them direct on the following numbers (lines are likely to be quieter after 11am):
Clover Darnall – 0114 551 8812
Clover Highgate – 0114 553 1197
Tinsley Medical Centre – 0114 261 0623
Clover North – 0114 244 9525
Handsworth Medical Practice – 0114 269 7505
Mulberry Practice – 0114 551 7439
Clover City – 0114 551 8800