Advancing social prescribing in Singapore: an update on progress

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Management
• Community Medicine

Background:

• SingHealth Community Hospitals (SCH) established a Social Prescribing (SP) program in 2019 to facilitate patient reintegration into the community post-discharge.
• The program utilizes personalized care plans developed by Wellbeing Coordinators (WBCs) to link patients with essential community resources.
• Recent national initiatives like 'Healthier SG' emphasize preventative chronic disease management, necessitating an update on SP program advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an update on the recent developments and enhancements of the SCH Social Prescribing (SP) program.
• To align the SP program with Singapore's broader 'Healthier SG' population health strategy.
• To showcase advancements in supporting patient transitions and community resource integration.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dynamic, living asset map to identify and categorize community resources.
• Revision and updating of outcome assessment tools to better measure program effectiveness.
• Implementation of training sessions for SP practitioners to improve their skills and competencies.
• Establishment of the Singapore Community of Practice in Social Prescribing (SCOMP) to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive living asset map has been created, enhancing the identification of relevant community support services.
• Outcome assessment tools have been refined to provide more accurate and meaningful data on patient progress.
• Training programs have been delivered to upskill SP practitioners, improving the quality of care coordination.
• The Singapore Community of Practice in Social Prescribing (SCOMP) has been successfully launched, fostering a network for SP professionals.

Conclusions:

• The SCH Social Prescribing program has undergone significant enhancements to better support patients transitioning from hospital to community care.
• These developments are crucial for integrating SP within the national 'Healthier SG' framework, promoting chronic disease prevention and management.
• The establishment of SCOMP signifies a commitment to advancing the field of Social Prescribing in Singapore through continuous learning and collaboration.