The GP practice group, Modality Partnership, has reported it has delivered over 40,000 non-medical health and wellbeing appointments this year in response to patient needs for community-based support.
Modality Partnership runs 10 GP practices across Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven and has been recognised for its commitment to non-medical support by winning the primary care project of the year award at the first-ever Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership Awards held last month.
It’s non-medical team consists of 20 healthcare workers including social prescribers and specialist health coaches for a range of conditions spanning dementia, mental health, nutrition and substance addiction.
Social prescribing focuses on supporting people with a range of social, emotional or practical needs, with many schemes centred on improving mental health and physical wellbeing in response to specific long-term conditions.
Helen Gatiss, a social prescriber at Modality Partnership, explained: “Our team of non-medical specialists provide a new model of care that exists to meet the shifting needs of many patients who benefit from other kinds of community-based support outside of a traditional doctor-patient setting.
“For example, around 30 per cent of our patients have conditions strongly linked to a wider context, such as loneliness, isolation, depression or an unhealthy lifestyle. We find out about people’s predicaments and create a personalised care plan that opens them up to fantastic community groups – which they may have previously been unaware of – who are able to offer physical or mental wellbeing support to make improvements to their life.”
Through the local community grants programme Modality has also helped secure over £500,000 funding in the last three years for a variety of local community organisations, including Highfields Community Association, Missing Peace and Keighley Healthy Living.
A local campaign led by Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, ‘It’s a GP Practice Thing’, aims to increase public awareness of how GP practices are working, the range of services offered and specialist healthcare professionals, such as social prescribers, who are available to help meet people’s needs.
As part of Baby Week, Modality are taking part in a Baby Wellbeing event this Thursday 16 November, 9:30am – 12pm, at Airedale Shopping Centre in Keighley for mothers to find out more about local services available to support babies and children, including immunisation advice.