Many things that affect our health and wellbeing cannot be treated by doctors or medicine alone, like loneliness, isolation or stress. Through an allocated Link Worker, Social Prescribing connects people to non-medical support to improve health, wellbeing and social connections through groups, activities and organisations.
Who is it for?
Social Prescribing is available for people who live in Oldham Borough and are experiencing things like:
- Loneliness and isolation
- Loss of confidence
- Anxiety or low mood
- Life changing events such as bereavement, having a baby, or retirement
- Living with long term health conditions
- Challenges with finances, work, relationships or housing
What are the benefits?
- Improve mental and physical health
- Meet new people
- Get involved in new community activities
- Increase self esteem
- Access work, training and volunteering
How much does it cost?
Social Prescribing in Oldham is free to access for all.
Meet the team
Our Social Prescribing team is committed to working with people to help them take control of their health and wellbeing and improve their quality of life. Our team has extensive knowledge of what’s happening locally in Oldham and beyond. You can find out more about our team and what area of Oldham they work in here:
Becky: Social Prescribing Manager
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Manger
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I enjoy managing a diverse and talented team that are passionate about supporting the people of Oldham.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Flexible, compassionate, supportive.
Melissa Coen: Social Prescribing Co-Ordinator
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Co-Ordinator.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
Being part of a team that going above and beyond for the people we are working with and the local community. Our team makes a difference in people’s lives and will always try to help anyone that comes to us needing support.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Positive, life changing, exciting.
Asia Khatun: Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Link Worker Central PCN
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Link Worker?
I enjoy connecting people to their local community and services that can help them to improve their circumstances.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Challenging, rewarding, varied
Asia's client feedback “
Social Prescribing is Brilliant, you have been so helpful and great. We have had more support from you in the last couple of weeks than anyone else in the last year.”
“Thank you so much for all your help, you have been so kind in helping me to sort out my housing and benefits.”
Charlotte Fletcher : Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
I am a Social Prescribing Link Worker in the North area of Oldham
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
What I enjoy most about this role is being able to listen to people’s stories and then providing personalised support to empower people to make positive changes in their lives. I love the fact that every day is different, and we have to opportunity to partnership work with other services to enable the people we work with get the best support possible and have the opportunity to access the support and services available to improve their health and wellbeing.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Rewarding, empowering, flexible
Dawn Muncaster : Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Link Worker covering South PCN – Failsworth, Hollinwood and Medlock Vale Wards.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
The variety of the role. Something different every day. Supporting people to improve their lives.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Building Confidence, Empowering others.
Debra Madden : Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Link Worker for Oldham West which includes Chadderton and Werneth
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
The role is varied, interesting and dynamic. When our role commences, we are often presented with a range of issues impacting on the individual’s health and wellbeing. It can be very rewarding to help to facilitate changes in people’s circumstances when they have been struggling to help themselves. It’s always great to hear of their new opportunities and improvements and of their renewed hope. In the role we also meet a lot of people and I enjoy engaging and communicating with both clients and other professionals getting out and about in the community.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Empowering Transformational Facilitative
Emma Overington: Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
I’m one of the PCN Link Workers in East Oldham.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
Getting to know people and seeing the journey they go on when they make changes to improve their wellbeing. It’s such a nice feeling being able to celebrate a person’s achievements with them!
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Empowering, meaningful, and interesting
Helen Sheppard : Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
SPLW EAST Cluster
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
Supporting/ meeting the most vulnerable people of Oldham struggling daily with all aspects of social care issues.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Challenging, Diverse, Connector
Joanne (Jo) Phillips : Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescriber for Oldham Central
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
Being able to improve people’s health and wellbeing through social activities and interventions, putting the person at the centre and addressing their needs and wants whilst also encouraging them to take ownership of their own aims and goals.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Person-centered, connecting, rewarding
Lucy Clarke: Social Prescribing Admin and Triage
What is your role/ area covered?
I am the administrator for the Social Prescribing team so I cover all areas and work with the whole team.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I love working with the team and every day is different. It challenging and I really feel like we are making a difference to people’s lives.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Challenging, rewarding, varied
Lucy Miles: Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Desktop Social Prescriber- all areas.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I enjoy working with an amazing and supportive team who all share the same passion of helping people!
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Connecting, positive, rewarding.
Olu Ganiyu: Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
I am a Social Prescribing Link Worker and currently covering all the Oldham area.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
Being there to provide support to others, pointing them in the right direction towards self-recovery, healing, and rediscovery. Knowing that someone’s wellbeing has improved due to my little contribution means a lot to me.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Connections, Communities, Wellbeing.
Robina Kausar: Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Oldham West PCN Link Worker
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
The most thing I enjoy about Social Prescribing is how much people are appreciate having a service where they have someone to talk to, listening to their problems and supporting them with an opportunity in life to move forward working with their social, emotional, and practical needs for positive outcomes.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Social, emotional, and practical support
Sarah-Jane Plevin: Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Link worker (children and families) East
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I enjoy helping and supporting children and families because it makes a positive impact on them and the local community.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Empowering, supporting and motivating.
Suzanne Cocker : Social Prescribing Officer
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Link Worker for East Oldham.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I love introducing people to new activities and groups in their local area. I love helping people to make positive changes to their lives.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Helpful. Positive. Informative.
Juwairia Naseem: Social Prescribing Link worker (Children & Families)
What is your role/ area covered?
Central/South
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
Empowering people to reach their potential and supporting them to improve factors of their quality of life
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Connecting, Meaningful, Supportive
Hasna Begum : Social Prescribing Link Worker
What is your role/ area covered?
Central PCN
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I love the fact that the little changes we help clients make, helps them makes a big difference.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Connecting, Meaningful, Supportive Client feedback: "I am really grateful you were there to help get things in place so quickly."
Shakila Mazhar : Link Worker
What is your role/ area covered?
Central
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I enjoy how we can offer individuals at low level support to reduce escalation and support individuals to access services that they are reluctant to or not aware of. I enjoy how our service offers support to everyone that is bespoke to them and how the support enables them to make positive changes to their lives.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Friendly, resourceful, diligent Shakila's client feedback “I’m so happy with the support I received, it not only helped me it actually helped my family situation, and I was able to cope with my family life a lot better, as I was feeling overwhelmed, my support worker was an angel who came to me at my time of need and I looked forward to her call” H.C
Gemma Goss: Social Prescribing Link Worker
What is your role/ area covered?
ARCC Social Prescribing Link Worker – covers all areas
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
Supporting people to improve their lives and well-being for the better. Seeing people grow and thrive developing their strengths. I enjoy partnership working and bringing new partnerships together, meeting new people and working together to make a difference across Oldham.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Strength-based, empowering, rewarding
Farzana Mahmood: Social Prescribing Link Worker
What is your role/ area covered?
As a Social Prescribing Link Worker, I cover the south region, helping individuals connect with non-medical services and community resources to improve their overall well-being.
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I most enjoy seeing the positive impact on individuals' lives when they discover new ways to improve their health and well-being through community support and resources. The ability to make a tangible difference and empower people to take control of their health is incredibly rewarding.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Empowerment, Connection, Well-being
Adam Baker: Social Prescribing Link Worker
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescribing Link Worker for North PCN
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Officer?
I joined Action Together to support individuals on their journey to improve their health and wellbeing. Being able to follow these journeys and to directly see the positive impact of my work is extremely fulfilling especially when individuals find they are able to harness their strengths and embrace the community support they might not have known was available.
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Caring, Community, Collaboration
Holly Preston: Social Prescriber
What is your role/ area covered?
Social Prescriber for Older People in Oldham
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Link Worker?
I really enjoy helping/ encouraging people to build up their confidence and to help them find a way back into the community. Having a job where I can help change someone’s life for the better is the most rewarding part
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Compassionate, encouraging & confidence building
Barbara Millward: Social Prescribing Link Worker
What is your role/ area covered?
Oldham
What do you most enjoy about being a Social Prescribing Link Worker?
Meeting different people and being able to make a difference to their lives
Describe Social Prescribing in three words:
Practical, Social, Emotional
How do I get involved?
Contact our Oldham Social Prescribing team:
By phone: 0161 339 2345, then Option 1 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm)
By email: gmicb-old.socialprescribing@nhs.net
Or, by completing our self-referral form.
Professional referrals
If you are referring a client, patient or a person you are working with, please use your Elemental digital social prescribing platform.
If you don't have access to Elemental, please contact us by phone on 0161 339 2345
What happens next?
A member the Oldham Social Prescribing team will contact you within two weeks to start your journey to improving your health, wellbeing and social connections.
Your social prescriber will get to know you, find out your interests and the challenges you want to overcome.
Together you will set goals that are important to you.
Your social prescriber will support you to gain confidence, make community connections and access local services and activities that will help you achieve your goals.
Did you know?
There are more than 500 community groups and networks in Oldham delivering almost 1,000 activities, sessions, meetings and events!
These groups focus on supporting local people and the community. They range from grassroots groups to large charities.
There's a huge range of activities and services including things like:
- coffee mornings
- walking clubs
- gardening groups
- photography, arts and crafts, and performing arts groups
- sport and physical activity groups
- debt support and counselling
- social groups
To find out more call 0161 339 2345 or email gmicb-old.socialprescribing@nhs.net
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