Social prescribing for people with a terminal illness
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Social prescribing can be used to help people with a terminal illness, and those close to them, by linking them to non-medical support. This information explains how social prescribing can benefit people affected by terminal illness, and how Marie Curie can support with social prescribing.
This page is for all health and social care professionals, including social prescribing link workers.
On this page:
Key points
- Social prescribing is a person-centred approach to improving health and wellbeing by supporting someone's social, emotional and practical needs.
- In all parts of the UK, Marie Curie can offer emotional support and information about terminal illness, end of life, and bereavement.
- In some parts of the UK, Marie Curie can offer in-person emotional and practical support, such as befriending.
- Marie Curie cannot support with mental health counselling, or urgent or crisis-point support.
What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing takes a person-centred approach to improving health and wellbeing. It focuses more on 'social' needs instead of medical needs, including any emotional or practical support that someone might need.
Social prescribing might involve:
- helping people to understand and apply for financial support
- supporting people to access dietary and lifestyle services
- looking at options for work or volunteering
- offering emotional support
- signposting to community or housing provisions
- directing people to further expert support, such as counselling or benefits advisors.
Who are social prescribing link workers?
Healthcare professionals can refer patients to social prescribing link workers. Social prescribing link workers can have a patient-led conversation to help identify and prioritise the patient's needs. After this conversation, social prescribing link workers can find and offer suitable support.
Social prescribing link workers may be linked to GP surgeries, employed by the local authority, or employed by a local scheme. In some cases, a social prescribing link worker may be part of a patient's palliative care team or multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
How can social prescribing support patients?
Terminal illness can affect all parts of someone's life. It might create needs that are not medical or cannot be treated in a medical way. People affected by terminal illness may need extra emotional support, knowledge of financial support, encouragement with social activities, and more.
If your patient needs this type of support, consider referring them to a social prescribing link worker. Social prescribing link workers should always try to match the person's needs with the right kind of support.
Social prescribing can benefit you and your patients by:
- putting what matters to the person affected at the centre of their care
- making them aware of their rights when accessing support (for example, priority patients or those who qualify for benefits under special rules for terminal illness)
- trying to reduce the strain on NHS services, by identifying where someone can get appropriate support elsewhere.
Ways Marie Curie can support with social prescribing
Marie Curie can offer support to people affected by terminal illness, including:
- people with a diagnosis of a terminal illness
- people caring for someone with a terminal illness
- family members, friends and other people close to someone with a terminal illness
- people who have been bereaved after someone has died of a terminal illness.
As a social prescribing link worker, you could signpost patients to Marie Curie for the following support:
- Emotional support for people affected by terminal illness. Marie Curie's free Support Line (0800 090 2309) can offer practical or emotional information and support by phone or online chat. Marie Curie's Companion over the phone service also offers this type of support over the phone, but on a more regular basis. Read more about Marie Curie's Companion over the phone service.
- Practical support and in-person companionship for people affected by terminal illness. In some parts of the UK, Marie Curie's Companion services allow carers to take a break by helping someone with everyday tasks. This might be making a cup of tea, or helping the person get to an appointment. If someone would benefit from this type of support, you or they should contact the Companion service in their area. Read more about our Companion at home service.
- Financial guidance and signposting with energy bills and the cost of living. Marie Curie's Energy Support Officers are part of the free Support Line. They can identify supplier-specific support with energy bills, offer guidance for saving on the cost of energy bills, and give general information about benefits and other financial support. People can call the free Support Line on 0800 090 2309 and ask to speak with an Energy Support Officer.
- Bereavement support for people affected by terminal illness. Marie Curie offers bereavement support in a different ways, including free ongoing telephone support and in-person support in some Marie Curie Hospices. If there is a Marie Curie Hospice in someone's local area, you or they should check with the Hospice what types of support they offer. Read more about the Marie Curie Telephone Bereavement Support Service.
- Information about terminal illness, end of life and bereavement. Marie Curie has information about these topics in different formats, including British Sign Language videos and Easy Read booklets. View and order printed resources.
When not to signpost to Marie Curie through social prescribing
There are times when Marie Curie is not the right choice for your patient. This is usually because we do not offer a specific service, or our services are not able to support someone's individual needs.
Here are some examples of needs Marie Curie cannot support:
- Counselling for mental health. Marie Curie offers emotional support for people affected by terminal illness, including after a bereavement. But Marie Curie does not offer counselling for specific mental health needs. If someone needs counselling for mental health, it is best to signpost to private or NHS counsellors in their area, or their local Mind centre .
- Urgent or crisis point support. If someone is having suicidal thoughts, or you think they need help as a matter of urgency, it is best to signpost to places that can offer immediate support. This could include Samaritans or an NHS urgent mental health helpline .
- Benefits and financial advice. Marie Curie can offer general information about benefits for people with a terminal illness, identify supplier-specific support with energy costs, and signpost to further financial support. But Marie Curie does not have dedicated benefits advisors or financial advisors. Other organisations, including Macmillan Cancer Support for people affected by cancer or Citizens Advice, may be able to provide this higher level of financial advice.
Useful resources
Marie Cure Support Line (0800 090 2309)
Marie Curie Check in and Chat Service
Marie Curie Telephone Bereavement Support Service
Marie Curie Companion service (Wales and South West England only)
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Disclaimer
This information is not intended to replace any training, national or local guidelines, or advice from other health or social care professionals.
The Palliative Care Knowledge Zone is not intended for use by people living with a terminal illness or their family and friends, who should access our information for the public.
