The role of place in social prescribing: A state-of-the-art literature review

Introduction: Social prescribing seeks to connect people to community-based resources, to improve their health and wellbeing. It is often framed as a response to health inequalities. However, the impact of place-based differences is seldom considered. As social prescribing depends on local resources, this is a significant knowledge gap. This review aims to examine the extent to which social prescribing research to date has engaged with places and communities. 

Methods: This state-of-the-art literature review has three components: (1) Four databases (PubMed, ASSIA, Web of Science and Scopus) were searched for social prescribing literature reviews; key characteristics were charted and a timeline created. (2) Each review was assessed for its engagement with concepts of place, and findings were synthesised narratively. (3) Exploratory searches were conducted in PubMed for primary research on place in social prescribing, and findings summarised descriptively. 

Results: A total of 97 eligible literature reviews were identified. A timeline of these reviews and their characteristics was created, including population, referral reasons, social prescribing model, intervention and aim. No reviews had ‘complete’ engagement with concepts of place. Thirty-one had ‘partial’ engagement. These suggested five ways of thinking about place: place as healing, experience of societal inequalities and its effect on place, how deprivation shapes place, place as the context for social prescribing and alternative conceptions of place. We found eight primary studies addressing social prescribing and place. Six looked in detail at a particular place or characteristic of places, and two contributed theoretical understandings of the relationship between place and social prescribing. 

Discussion: The role of place in social prescribing remains understudied. Future research could develop theory and frameworks to account for place or identify which elements of place-based community infrastructure are particularly relevant for social prescribing, especially as deprivation and austerity continue to diminish community resources in the areas which most need them.