Hosted by Bristol's Centre for Academic Mental 

In 2019, the UK government announced a radical, major investment in "social prescribing" as part of its NHS Long Term Plan. A type of personalised care, social prescribing connects individuals with non-clinical supports and services within the community to address diverse health and social needs. Since, an estimated 3 million people in the UK have received social prescribing and the scheme has spread to over 40 countries. But there has been much controversy about whether social prescribing can genuinely address health needs or instead presents an unregulated service potentially even exacerbating health inequalities. This talk will consider the findings to date, including the substantial body of clinical trials and epidemiological analyses led by UCL's Social Biobehavioural Research Group.

Prof Daisy Fancourt is Professor of Psychobiology & Epidemiology at University College London and Head of the Social Biobehavioural Research Group. Her research focuses on the effects of social behaviours on health, including loneliness, social isolation, leisure activities, arts and cultural engagement, and social prescribing. Daisy has received over £30m in research funding and her work has been recognised with over two dozen national and international research awards. She is Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre on Arts and Health, a Technical Advisor to the WHO, a scientific adviser to UK Government, a BBC New Generation Thinker, and a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. Daisy has published over 250 peer-reviewed papers, 2 books, and over a dozen book chapters and given over 50 keynotes around the world. She is listed by Clarivate as one of the most highly cited scientists in the world.