Introducing ISPPA — the International Social Prescribing Pharmacy Association
By: Arun Nadarasa, Jenny Kirschner, Maria Halimeh, Tarek Hussain, Islam Omar, Xavier Schneider, Capitán Adsuar, Yogendra Kanchapu, Gonzalo Miguel Adsuar Meseguer, and Adam Pattison Rathbone.
What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing is already a key part of everyday community pharmacy practice. Social prescribing includes identifying patients who may be experiencing poor mental and physical health, which can be improved through social interventions. For example, a patient who may have a low mood due to isolation may benefit from a social prescription to attend a local gardening club. To find out more about social prescribing, check out this video from the World Economic Forum here. Evidence about the effectiveness of social prescribing is available here. A recent systematic review identified that pharmacy teams have an important role in social prescribing and can refer people who may be suitable for social prescribing interventions, act as a link worker, or deliver social prescribing directly to patients themselves. Importantly, this work also identified that many pharmacy teams are already involved in social prescribing, but this work is not recognised or remunerated. You can find out more about the systematic review here. Social prescribing interventions are diverse, including activities provided by voluntary or community sectors, financial support, professional counselling, artistic and physical activities
Why is it important?
Pharmacy social prescribing is important, as pharmacies are typically visible, accessible, and trusted spaces within communities. Social prescribing is a fast-developing field, with proposals for the widespread integration of social prescribing into practice in the UK by 2023 / 2024. Although many social prescribing interventions take place face-to-face, digital prescriptions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy delivered online, are also emerging to provide a broader range of patients with access to the benefits of social prescribing. Pharmacy teams are ideal to deliver this, as we can act flexibly as social prescribing practices develop over the next decade.
Pharmacy social prescribing has a common vision, along with FIP Development Goals 7, 15, and 21. Pharmacy social prescribing encourages a patient-centered approach to integrated health services to help with prevention, screening, and management of patients. Additionally, pharmacy social prescribing seeks to implement strategies and systems that utilize the existing workforce to enhance sustainable pharmacy and services.
Why community pharmacy?
Why community pharmacies for social prescribing? Community pharmacy has a unique, and very personal, relationship with patients. This relationship is a precious commodity in an evolving digital healthcare landscape. Pharmacists are one of the most trusted, frequently accessed, and accessible health destinations. This recurring interaction builds a foundation of connection and trust. Trusted relationships allow pharmacists to have deep conversations with patients, identify the root causes of health problems, and help overcome barriers to health, including social health needs. In the future, community pharmacies will do more than just sell pills. They will also focus on social health. Social prescribing is one pathway to catalyse the pharmacy industry's involvement.
What is ISPPA?
We are a group that is passionate about recognising the work that pharmacists and their teams already do across the globe. Our aims are to:
● integrate Pharmacy Social Prescribing in the everyday practice of community pharmacy through leadership and research dissemination
● improve pharmacy social prescribing education through standardization and global collaboration
encourage the recognition of the importance of social prescribing in pharmacies for individuals, communities, and countries
Arun Nadarasa leads our team, which is supported by Ambassadors from across the work. Ambassadors come from a diverse set of backgrounds in pharmacy practice, research, industry, digital, and education. You can find out more about who is involved here: https://www.socialprescribing.health/team. If you would like to be an Ambassador, then please submit complete the form here
How can Early Careers Pharmacists get involved?
● Review resources available online at our website https://www.socialprescribing.health/about
● Sign up to our mailing list here to received updates about our work and further opportunities to get involved or implement social prescribing in your pharmacy
● Follow us on Twitter @INTSPPA, TikTok @socialprescribing and Instagram @socialprescribing
● Take part in Social Prescribing Day on 9th March 2023 (https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/social-prescribing-day-2023/ )
● Get in touch to find out how you can get involved here
