Social Prescribing self referral tool puts power with the patient

by Startacus Admin

As the NHS enters the 'era of self-service and mobility', award-winning HealthTech startup Elemental step forward with their people powered, self referral digital tool for person centred, social prescribing care. 

Focusing on creating a culture of self-care and independence, Elemental has expanded their award-winning platform, with the launch of Elemental Self Refer - a simple, interactive, digital tool created to empower communities and drive real-time, person centred care in your area, at any time, in any place.

The new self referral tool is set to allow anyone to refer themselves directly to a Community Connector or into quality assured social prescribing activities, such as gardening groups, cookery classes and exercise programmes within their own communities.

Using Elemental Self Refer, anyone can browse, refer, register, and connect to their preferred community based providers and social prescribing interventions in less than a few minutes. Should an individual choose to self register, a baseline assessment questionnaire is carried out, presenting a customised list of activities, all relevant to the individual and their needs.

By putting control back into the citizen’s hands, individuals will have the ability to explore quality assured interventions in their community using a range of filters, self refer and request support from a Link Worker and self serve, automatically registering themselves into suitable social prescribing activities.

Elemental Self Refer was developed in response to the varying needs of the community itself. Although anyone can avail of a social prescription, it was clear that not everyone required the support of a social prescribing Link Worker or needed to filter through a medical review before availing of community services.

The launch of the self refer tool follows a recent statement from NHS Digital CEO Sarah Wilkinson, which described the NHS entering the “era of self-service and mobility” as the health service is building a number of products putting the information “directly into the hands of citizens”, with some organisations already set to adopt the new tool, including Poplar HARCA, an award winning Housing and Regeneration Community Association in East London.

Leeann Monk-Özgül, Elemental Co-Founder, explained:

As former Community Development Workers, we recognised that there was a need for Elemental Self Refer within communities and feedback from our customers reinstated the demand for this option. We understand that people have different needs and requirements and Elemental Self Refer is a great way for people to take the first step to avail of a community based social prescription."

Back in June 2017, Elemental raised 300k with the help of ClearlySo, Europe’s leading impact investment bank, to help further develop their social prescribing solution platform, and with the their self refer tool set to be launched at the annual King’s Fund social prescribing conference, this looks like another giant step for social prescribing as a core healthcare service.

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• #health tech
• #social care
• #social prescribing
• #nhs
• #app
• #elemental
• #elemental self refer
• #social prescription
• #community

Published on: 1st November 2018