{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T01:16:30Z","timestamp":1790730990377,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,15]],"date-time":"2023-12-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1702598400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR), Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HS&DR) Programme","award":["NIHR131593"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIHR131593"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Health Serv Res Policy"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Despite significant investment in social prescribing in England over the last decade, we still do not know if it works, or how models of social prescribing fit within wider health and care policy and practice. This study explores current service delivery structures and assesses the feasibility of a national evaluation of the link worker model.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Semi-structured interviews were conducted between May and September 2020, with 25 key informants from across social prescribing services in England. Participants included link workers, voluntary, community and social enterprise staff, and those involved in policy and decision-making for social prescribing services. Interview and workshop transcripts were analysed thematically, adopting a framework approach.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We found differences in how services are provided, including by individual link workers, and between organisations and regions. Standards, referral pathways, reporting, and monitoring structures differ or are lacking in voluntary services as compared to clinical services. People can self-refer to a link worker or be referred by a third party, but the lack of standardised processes generated confusion in both public and professional perceptions of the link worker model. We identified challenges in determining the appropriate outcomes and outcome measures needed to assess the impact of the link worker model.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The current varied service delivery structures in England poses major challenges for a national impact evaluation. Any future rigorous evaluation needs to be underpinned with national standardised outcomes and process measures which promote uniform data collection.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/13558196231212854","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,15]],"date-time":"2023-12-15T18:30:45Z","timestamp":1702665045000},"page":"111-121","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["What is the best way to evaluate social prescribing? A qualitative feasibility assessment for a national impact evaluation study in England"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"29","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4915-5092","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abimbola","family":"Ayorinde","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8027-7274","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amy","family":"Grove","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7073-7468","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Iman","family":"Ghosh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2300-750X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jenny","family":"Harlock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9340-819X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edward","family":"Meehan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0576-3459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natalie","family":"Tyldesley-Marshall","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2314-1039","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adam","family":"Briggs","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8299-3146","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aileen","family":"Clarke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0638-583X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lena","family":"Al-Khudairy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-13558196231212854","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.l1285"},{"key":"bibr2-13558196231212854","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2022-008524"},{"key":"bibr3-13558196231212854","volume-title":"The NHS long term plan","author":"National Health Services (NHS)","year":"2019"},{"key":"bibr4-13558196231212854","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2022-062951"},{"key":"bibr5-13558196231212854","volume-title":"Primary care networks explained: the King's Fund","author":"Beccy B","year":"2020"},{"key":"bibr6-13558196231212854","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/hsc.12839"},{"key":"bibr7-13558196231212854","volume-title":"Rolling Out Social Prescribing: understanding the experience of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector","author":"Cole A","year":"2020"},{"key":"bibr8-13558196231212854","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042"},{"key":"bibr9-13558196231212854","volume-title":"Feasibility study for an impact study on Social prescribing (Protocol)","author":"Al-Khudairy L","year":"2020"},{"key":"bibr10-13558196231212854","volume-title":"Evidence and methods required to evaluate the impact for patients who use social prescribing: a rapid systematic review and qualitative interviews","author":"Al-Khudairy L","year":"2022"},{"key":"bibr11-13558196231212854","volume-title":"NVivo qualitative data analysis software [program]. 12 pro version","year":"2018"},{"key":"bibr12-13558196231212854","volume-title":"Qualitative research practice: a guide for social science students and researchers","author":"Ritchie J","year":"2003"},{"key":"bibr13-13558196231212854","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-13-117"},{"key":"bibr21-13558196231212854","unstructured":"SNOMED International. 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