The Power of Community and Connection: A Reflection on Social Prescribing

There's a clarity that comes with witnessing firsthand the limitations of purely biomedical approaches to care. That was the world then when I studied medicine in the late 80s.? Then I became a resident in family medicine, an emerging specialty in Singapore back in the 90s.?

In my reading of family medicine textbooks and journals, I stumbled onto the biopsychosocial model, of healthcare that was first conceptualized by George Engel in 1977.?

Yet even today, the "psychosocial" often feels like an afterthought in our daily practice of medicine. Years in practice confirmed that nagging suspicion: the missing link in so many of our patients’ health and care issues lies in the realm of social determinants of health.

Thankfully, the conversation is shifting. We are no longer just treating illnesses, we are addressing the upstream issues that fuel them and the downstream issues that hinder a return to wellbeing. And here, social prescribing emerges as the final, missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle that will complete the picture.

Having the privilege to collaborate with our practitioners of social prescribing, whom we refer to as wellbeing coordinators in SingHealth, has restored my faith in the system. Their work isn't just about sign posting and referring patients to services, it's about forging connections that empower and heal.

The stories they bring back in their weekly peer review learning sessions– a demoralized elderly patient regaining confidence through art, a hoarder who finally agreed to clear her home of decades of accumulated debris of life, an isolated senior discovering a new lease on life through a chair Zumba group – are a constant source of inspiration.

My personal hero, Atul Gawande, in his pursuit of better healthcare, often emphasizes the power of small changes. Social prescribing embodies this perfectly. It's a testament to the idea that sometimes, the most effective interventions are the most human ones. The touch of humanity from our wellbeing coordinators is often superior to the bags of medicine that we prescribe for our patients.

2019 is the year that SCH first introduced social prescribing as a model of care in our part of the world.? It is fortuitous that in 2019, the National Academy of Social Prescribing in the UK and the advocates of social prescribing from around the world declared in unison that the 14th of March shall be Social Prescribing Day when we celebrate the practitioners, the organizations and communities that make social prescribing a reality for our patients.

So, a heartfelt thank you to all of you, our social prescribing champions. You're not just filling gaps, you're building bridges to healthier, happier lives. Let's keep up the incredible work.? Remember that we ourselves need social prescribing as well. Let us affirm ourselves and one another.?

Have a happy Social Prescribing Day!

In solidarity,

Kheng Hock (a proud member of SCOMP)