The Ipswich and East Suffolk Alliance is supportive and committed to Creative Health, recognising the important link with their Personalised Care programme. The Ipswich and East Suffolk Alliance Connect for Health Social Prescribing Service has been up and running for a number of years and recent developments have included piloting Creative Health social prescribing with local community artists including dance, art, music, drama and museums.
This has included partnership working with Suffolk ArtLink and Britten Pears Arts at Snape Maltings. The Outdoor Wellbeing Experience at the Food Museum starts in April 2022. The aim is to link social prescribing participants with volunteers at the museum supporting people with low mood, depression and anxiety. Activities will be based outside in the museum grounds and will form a clinic or hub approach with 10-12 participants in group sessions learning new skills to develop employment opportunities and improve their own health and wellbeing. Another example has been linking in rehabilitation of individuals with Covid through Long Covid Clinics delivered in partnership with VCSE Arts, Citizens Advice and Ipswich Hospital. People are supported to rehabilitate and self-manage including through referrals to creative arts experiences as part of the personalised care plans.
