Homes and health in the Outer Hebrides: A social prescribing framework for addressing fuel poverty and the social determinants of health

Lawler, Cormac; Sherriff, Graeme; Brown, Philip; Butler, Danielle; Gibbons, Andrea; Martin, Philip; Probin, Margaret

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102926

Homes and health in the Outer Hebrides: A social prescribing framework for addressing fuel poverty and the social determinants of health

Lawler, Cormac; Sherriff, Graeme; Brown, Philip; Butler, Danielle; Gibbons, Andrea; Martin, Philip; Probin, Margaret

Authors

Cormac Lawler

Dr Graeme Sherriff G.Sherriff@salford.ac.uk
Associate Professor/Reader

Philip Brown

Danielle Butler

Andrea Gibbons

Mr Philip Martin P.Martin5@salford.ac.uk
Research Fellow

Margaret Probin

Abstract

Health services are increasingly being reshaped with reference to addressing social determinants of health (SDoH), with social prescribing a prominent example. We examine a project in the Outer Hebrides that reshaped and widened the local health service, framing fuel poverty as a social determinant of health and mobilising a cross-sector support pathway to make meaningful and substantive improvements to islanders' living conditions. The ‘Moving Together’ project provided support to almost 200 households, ranging from giving advice on home energy, finances and other services, to improving the energy efficiency of their homes. In so doing, the project represents an expansion of the remit of social prescribing, in comparison with the majority of services currently provided under this banner, and can be seen as a more systemic approach that engages with the underlying conditions of a population's health. We present a framework through which to understand and shape initiatives to address fuel poverty through a social prescribing approach.

Citation

Lawler, C., Sherriff, G., Brown, P., Butler, D., Gibbons, A., Martin, P., & Probin, M. (2023). Homes and health in the Outer Hebrides: A social prescribing framework for addressing fuel poverty and the social determinants of health. Health and Place, 79, 102926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102926

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Oct 3, 2022
Online Publication Date	Nov 25, 2022
Publication Date	2023-01
Deposit Date	Feb 13, 2023
Publicly Available Date	Nov 26, 2024
Journal	Health & Place
Print ISSN	1353-8292
Publisher	Elsevier
Volume	79
Pages	102926
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102926
Publisher URL	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102926