Exploring the Role of Social Prescribers: Insights from Wales and Lessons for Ireland

Social prescribing continues to evolve across the UK and Ireland, offering a bridge between healthcare services and community support. A 2022 study, “The Role of Social Prescribers in Wales: A Consensus Methods Study”, provides valuable insights into the day-to-day roles of social prescribing link workers in Wales, insights that hold lessons for the development and standardisation of social prescribing roles in Ireland.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of South Wales and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, explored which roles social prescribing link workers in Wales perceive as most important and most frequently used. Using Group Concept Mapping, the research collected 101 statements from 119 participants and 84 literature sources, which were grouped into seven clusters: Providing a Specialist Service, Working in a Person-Centred Way, Skills, Connecting Clients with Community, Collaborative Working, Evaluating and Post-Programme Duties, and Networking and Community.

Interestingly, the study found that interpersonal skills, empathy, and active listening were rated higher than specialised methods, such as cognitive behavioural therapy or behaviour change frameworks. This highlights the importance of personal traits and responsiveness to local needs in shaping the work of social prescribing link workers. While there was variation in individual practice, greater differences were noted between participant reports and published literature, suggesting that geography and local context influence how social prescribing is delivered.

For Ireland, these findings resonate strongly. Like Wales, social prescribing in Ireland is diverse and community driven, with social prescribing link workers tailoring their roles to the needs of the communities they serve. The emphasis on person-centred skills over technical interventions in Wales mirrors practice in Ireland, where empathy, listening, and connecting people with local supports are central to effective social prescribing.

The Welsh study also raises important considerations for role development and potential standardisation. While recognising local variation, understanding which aspects of the role are core, and which can be adapted based on local need, could help strengthen social prescribing nationally in Ireland, ensuring both consistency and flexibility.

As social prescribing continues to expand, studies like this provide valuable evidence for shaping training, practice, and policy, supporting social prescribing link workers to meet local needs while maintaining shared professional standards across regions.

Reference:

Roberts, T., Lloydwin, C., Pontin, D., Williams, M., and Wallace, C. (2022). The role of social prescribers in Wales: a consensus methods study. University of South Wales.

Download the full report here: https://www.allirelandsocialprescribing.ie/_files/ugd/22cf9d_073e81bedf8949a49fcc9158180c3060.pdf