Experiences of integrating social prescribing link workers into primary care in England — bolting on, fitting in, or belonging: a realist evaluation

Background

Following the 2019 NHS Long Term Plan, link workers have been employed across primary care in England to deliver social prescribing.

Aim

To understand and explain how the link worker role is being implemented in primary care in England.

Design and setting

This was a realist evaluation undertaken in England, focusing on link workers based in primary care.

Method

The study used focused ethnographies around seven link workers from different parts of England. As part of this, we interviewed 61 patients and 93 professionals from health care and the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector. We reinterviewed 41 patients, seven link workers, and a link worker manager 9–12 months after their first interview.

Results

We developed four concepts from the codes developed during the project on the topic around how link workers are integrated (or not) within primary care: (or not) within primary care: centralising or diffusing power; forging an identity in general practice; demonstrating effect; and building a facilitative infrastructure. These concepts informed the development of a programme theory around a continuum of integration of link workers into primary care — from being ‘bolted on’ to existing provision, without much consideration, to ‘fitting in’, shaping what is delivered to be accommodating, through to ‘belonging’, whereby they are accepted as a legitimate source of support, making a valued contribution to patients’ broader wellbeing.

Conclusion

Social prescribing was introduced into primary care to promote greater attention to the full range of factors affecting patients’ health and wellbeing, beyond biomedicine. For that to happen, our analysis highlights the need for a whole-system approach to defining, delivering, and maintaining this new part of practice.