Queens Road Medical Practice has launched new partnerships, providing an alternative to clinical methods for improving mental and physical health.
By partnering with The Accidental Zoo and Guernsey Conservation Volunteers, Queens Road Medical Practice is enhancing its free social prescribing service to improve islanders’ health and happiness.
Social prescribing enables GPs, nurses, and other primary care professionals to refer patients to a range of local and non-clinical services. People may even self-refer, so they don’t have to see their doctor first if it’s not necessary. From gardening and sports to eating more healthily and volunteering, it has been proven to help people take control of their health, both mentally and physically.
Queens Road Medical Practice launched the first free social prescribing service in Guernsey in February 2020. Since then, the social prescribing link worker, Clare Arnold, has had 117 referrals. By partnering with The Accidental Zoo and the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers, additional activities can now be offered exclusively by the charities.
Clare said: “It’s been a pleasure to see how our social prescribing service has improved people’s mental and physical health. Our partnership with The Accidental Zoo and Guernsey Conservation Volunteers represents a significant step forward in the range of activities that we can offer islanders, helping them get in touch with nature and their local community”.
The Accidental Zoo provides a 12-week wellbeing programme harnessing the calming effect of nature to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Charlotte Le Guilcher, Co-Founder and Chief Executive said: “We are proud to partner with Queens Road Medical Practice on this exciting alternative to clinical treatment. Working with animals and nature improves mental and physical wellbeing. We provide a reassuring environment to help people begin the process of healing. We’re looking forward to welcoming new recruits”.
The Guernsey Conservation Volunteers connect people with nature and support the conservation of Guernsey’s wildlife. Angela Salmon, Group Coordinator said: “We welcome this partnership with Queens Road Medical Practice and look forward to helping people get involved in activities in different locations around the island every week. Offering a safe space with our volunteers will ensure people can focus on their mental and physical health while also helping maintain Guernsey’s beautiful environment. We are very proud to be supporting our local community and helping people learn new skills”.
