NOVA PSOA – Evaluation of the Social Prescription Project in Health Units in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo.
Social Prescription is a complex and intersectoral intervention that enables Primary Healthcare services to refer patients with social and emotional needs to a variety of services provided by the voluntary and social sectors. It is an innovative approach aimed at addressing the social determinants that greatly influence the health of individuals and communities, such as socioeconomic and environmental factors, lifestyle habits, and behaviors. In recent decades, services in various countries, such as England, the United States, and Canada, have implemented and evaluated Social Prescription. In Portugal, it has been implemented since 2018 in Family Health Units in Lisbon.
This project, developed in partnership with the Lisbon Central Health Centers Group and the Lisbon City Council, aims to evaluate and monitor the implementation process of the Social Prescription project currently underway in health units in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region (the pilot project included the Baixa and Almirante Family Health Units).
The project involves a mixed-methods study consisting of three main components. Specifically, it aims to assess the levels of quality of life, well-being, and health activation of patients referred to Social Prescription, understand their perceptions of the experience, evaluate the impact of Social Prescription on collaboration between the health and social sectors, as well as its impact on healthcare services.
Additionally, it seeks to understand and monitor the implementation process of this initiative, from a continuous improvement perspective, incorporating the viewpoints of patients, healthcare professionals, social workers, and social partners.
The results have provided evidence on the potential impact of this intervention at the level of patients, collaboration between the health and social sectors, and healthcare services. The evidence produced in this implementation science project may also contribute to improvements in the practices implemented, as well as support the transfer of this intervention model to other contexts and health units.
