Our projects
Hospital Discharge – Social Prescriptions

Hospital Discharge – Social Prescriptions

There is considerable evidence that a lack of social connection and the resultant loneliness and isolation can hinder recovery from illness or an operation and increase the risk of hospital patients finding themselves in a revolving door of discharge and re-admission.

For example: Researchers at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Social Sciences have already found that an increase in the number of group memberships during a patient’s engagement with a social prescribing initiative predicts a 25% reduction in health care use (read more). 

In the short-term social prescribing interventions serve to improve the quality of life of patients, in the medium term the increased social connectivity supports them to keep well for longer and to recovery from illness or injury more swiftly.

The key aim of our project is to add Social Prescribing/Social Prescriptions to the discharge offer for those patients who are socially isolated and thus likely to recover more slowly and be more likely to return to hospital than those who are more socially connected.

Our pilot project demonstrated need among patients. The short-term impacts, illustrated by feedback from patients and hospital staff; were high levels of enthusiasm and service take-up. For many patients knowing that there would be support beyond the medical and practical appeared to lift their mood.

This project will build on the progress made during the pilot stage and work to embed Social Prescribing into the hospital discharge system to the extent that the offer to patients becomes part of business as “usual.”  We will help to ensure this by building on the work delivered during Jan – April 2023, where a SP worker worked alongside the discharge co-ordinators, attended team meetings, huddles and MDTs to identify patients who were likely to benefit.

We want isolated patients to go home with the expectation that this isolation and the resultant loneliness will be resolved in the same way that they would expect their physical needs to be met.

The project will also increase the number and range of social prescriptions – over time this will benefit citizens outside of the cohort focused on here.

In the longer term we believe that cost savings will be made, with people better equipped and supported to remain at home, less likely to become unwell and, when they do, likely to recover more quickly.

To be eligible:

• You will be a voluntary organisation
• Your proposed project
  • must be based in Wolverhampton and support Wolverhampton residents
  • must be completed, with the grant spent, and case studies, the final report and monitoring provided by 17th March 2024
  • must focus on supporting the needs of people recently discharged from hospital and welcome referrals from the social prescribing service
  • should support people affected by loneliness and social isolation and help to build resilience. We anticipate projects such as counselling, arts and crafts, in-person befriending/ appointment buddies and fitness etc (all must cater to people recently discharged from hospital).

Your application will be assessed by a panel that consists of impartial and experienced colleagues from a range of backgrounds that are involved in the Hospital Discharge Project.

Your answers will be scored as follows:

• Unacceptable: proposal is not credible or robust, and does not demonstrate how programme outcomes will be met
• Poor: proposal lacks some credibility and robustness, and does not clearly demonstrate how programme outcomes will be met
• Satisfactory: proposal is reasonably credible and robust, and reasonably demonstrates how programme outcomes will be met
• Good: proposal is credible and robust, and clearly demonstrates how programme outcomes will be met
• Excellent: proposal is highly credible and robust, and very clearly demonstrates how programme outcomes will be met
• To be successful you must score at least 3 on each question.
• The strength of your application will be considered alongside other applications we receive.
• We will also think about the range and balance of different projects we are supporting.
• We want the projects we fund to cover a broad range of activities, applicants, and geographical areas.

The panel has scheduled two meetings, but it is important to bear in mind that there is a limited amount of funding available. Thus, if the funding is depleted, the second deadline will be cancelled. The deadlines for you to send in your application to us are as follows:

1st January 2024

15th January 2024

You can apply for staff time, volunteer expenses, or resources involved in delivering the proposed activities.  We can provide funding for applications up to a maximum of £5,000.

If you meet the criteria and wish to apply for a grant, what next?

Please use the application form that forms part of this document to make your application for funding.

Completing the Application

Please tell us using the form below about the project or activity you want to deliver, the impact it will have on beneficiaries and what you will spend the money on.  Please be as clear as possible in your answers so the panel will fully understand what you are proposing and why. Once completed please return the form to: applications@wvca.org.uk.