Looking Back and Moving Forward: Exploring Community Connectors’ Experience With Implementing Social Prescribing

Abstract

Social prescribing is a health and social model of care which is emerging globally. It is a multifaceted intervention shaped by various contextual factors that can affect its implementation. Our aim was to describe community connectors’ (link workers or navigators) perceptions and experiences delivering social prescribing programs, with a particular interest in identifying implementation factors or themes. We conducted 11 online semi-structured interviews with community connectors who delivered social prescribing in British Columbia (BC), Canada. We used directed content analysis, and two authors explored interviews using an implementation perspective. We sorted findings using a deductive approach based on previously published guidance to consider program acceptability, adoption, reach, dose, fidelity, feasibility, and sustainability, and community connectors’ self-efficacy in delivering the program. We identified factors or themes which could impact on social prescribing implementation, specifically: variability in people’s unmet social needs, identification of community resources, team relationships, and communication. Participants also shared their experiences and perspectives on community connectors’ training, support, and their roles and scope within the continuum of care. At the client level, participants noted some challenges for people to access services because of low income and/or digital literacy. They further provided suggestions for shaping the future of social prescribing. Overall, participants provided valuable insights into social prescribing implementation opportunities and challenges which contribute to understanding community connectors’ role within the wider scope of this quickly emerging health and social model of care.