Social Prescribing Day 2026

You might be stepping into this article thinking “Social Prescribing Day? I’m not even sure what social prescribing is!” Before I joined Chiltern I didn’t know either, but it’s an important facet of mental healthcare, and I’m here to explain why and how it sits alongside our awesome work.

Social prescribing allows healthcare and community professionals - such as charities and GPs - to refer people to non-clinical activities that support the individual’s practical, social and emotional needs which affect their health and wellbeing. Activities include sports and cooking, and many creative outlets such as community music groups, which is where Chiltern comes in. 

We first began working with social prescribers when developing our local community hubs. Through research into local GP surgeries, councils and community organisations, our team identified social prescribing as a key pathway for connecting people with our music therapy services.

Two years ago, we hosted a Social Prescribing Day at our Chesham Hub, bringing together social prescribers and local organisations who support community wellbeing. The event helped raise awareness of Chiltern’s services and built strong connections with local prescribers, and as a direct result, new relationships were formed with organisations working across health and social care, and referrals and interest increased in our Safe and Sound and Silver Singers groups!

"I'm really surprised at how well she engaged, even initiating dancing when she wasn’t able to follow the words. When I left, she was so full of excitement, she said 'what a way to start the day, singing and dancing'!" - Social Prescriber

Maintaining these relationships is an ongoing priority, and we continue to work with social prescribers across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire to support referrals into our services, including community jamming groups catering for people living with mental health challenges. Our South London Hub in Penge is thriving too, where similar engagement has helped establish referral pathways into our music therapy groups.

On the whole, working with social prescribers has helped Chiltern to better understand community needs, influencing the development of new groups, events and services. We now proudly host community events throughout the year to connect local charities, organisations and community members while promoting the values of music and music therapy.

Social prescribing has strengthened links between healthcare, community organisations, and creative wellbeing services. Rather than organisations working in isolation, social prescribing creates a network that connects people to the support available in their community.

Here at Chiltern, building and maintaining relationships with social prescribers is essential in expanding access to music therapy and supporting wellbeing, as we continue to grow our amazing network of champions!

Click here to discover and learn more about our community groups.