Finding the social way to health
‘I WENT to bed smiling and woke up with a smile. It’s a long time since I’ve done that,’ was how one beneficiary of Bailiwick Social Prescribing has described her experience.
‘It’s brought the fun back into my life,’ said another.
The idea of encouraging poorly islanders to open their horizons beyond the packed waiting room of the doctors’ surgery into sport, music, wellbeing, even just social occasions, usually hosted by charities, member groups or other supportive causes, has been inspired.
From humble beginnings, supported by the funders of good causes, BSP, as they call it has turned into a triumph.
Its healthy benefits can be more social than medical, and offer a pleasant diversion from the pharmaceutical. How often would mere tablets give you confidence, independence – even bring you ‘back to life’?
Over five years almost every doctor in Guernsey has signposted a patient towards BSP and very close to 1,000 people have taken that prescription.
For many, it’s proved a way to open a door on a new and better life.
Now the trial period is over and the proposal is for this project to be funded by the States going forward. The cost of that? About £300,000 a year.
It’s hard to put a price on getting a life back. But this one seems deserving of continued encouragement.