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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0PLOS One

A qualitative exploration of variations in social prescribing in primary care for people living with dementia in England: Barriers and enablers to positive service experiences

  • Jenny Corser1
  • Amy Rathbone2
  • Anne Martin1,3
  • Hannah Barker1,3
  • Kritika Samsi4
  • Marie Polley5
  • Lucy Clark2
  • Euan Sadler3
  • Emma Wolverson6
  • George Rook7
  • Louise Robinson8
  • Esme Moniz-Cook9
4 more authors
  • Louise Allan10
  • Chris Fox10,11
  • Jane Cross2
  • Katherine Bradbury1
11 affiliations
  1. 1Centre for Clinical and Community Applications of Health Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
  2. 2Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
  3. 3School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
  4. 4Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
  5. 5Meaningful Measures Ltd, Bristol, United Kingdom
  6. 6Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory, University of West London, London, United Kingdom
  7. 7Dementia Action Alliance, Shropshire, United Kingdom
  8. 8Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
  9. 9Faculty of Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
  10. 10Health and Community Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
  11. 11NIHR Health Technology Research Centre Sustainable Innovation, Exeter, United Kingdom
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Abstract

The number of people living with dementia and related costs continue to grow worldwide. Although generally associated with memory difficulties, non-cognitive symptoms of dementia are common and usually stem from unmet needs. Evidence emerging suggests that social prescribing improves the wellbeing of people living with dementia. This study explored adaptations to key elements of social prescribing for people living with dementia, as well as barriers to and enablers of positive experiences among people living with dementia and service providers. The qualitative study engaged people living with dementia (n = 8), carers (n = 9) and service providers (n = 17) involved in social prescribing through primary care. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the essential ingredients of social prescribing schemes comprised the initial organising categories for template analysis. The final template included four integrative themes: unique challenges of dementia; interpretations of the social prescribing role; integration of social prescribing into dementia care; and evaluation, improvement and sustainability. Positive workplace cultures and skills in dementia care and support enabled multidisciplinary collaborations and the successful adaptations of the generic social prescribing model to improve the experiences among people living with dementia and service providers. Resistance to and confusion about the social prescribing link workers’ role, and inappropriate referrals were barriers to positive experiences and bottom-up feedback. Primary care networks’ agreements on core outcomes within proactive systems of dementia care and support may promote meaningful bottom-up feedback on the effectiveness of social prescribing for people living with dementia, guiding service improvements.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{corser2026qualitative,
  title = {{A qualitative exploration of variations in social prescribing in primary care for people living with dementia in England: Barriers and enablers to positive service experiences}},
  author = {Jenny Corser and Amy Rathbone and Anne Martin and Hannah Barker and Kritika Samsi and Marie Polley and Lucy Clark and Euan Sadler and Emma Wolverson and George Rook and Louise Robinson and Esme Moniz-Cook and Louise Allan and Chris Fox and Jane Cross and Katherine Bradbury},
  journal = {PLOS One},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0361620},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361620},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - A qualitative exploration of variations in social prescribing in primary care for people living with dementia in England: Barriers and enablers to positive service experiences
AU  - Jenny Corser
AU  - Amy Rathbone
AU  - Anne Martin
AU  - Hannah Barker
AU  - Kritika Samsi
AU  - Marie Polley
AU  - Lucy Clark
AU  - Euan Sadler
AU  - Emma Wolverson
AU  - George Rook
AU  - Louise Robinson
AU  - Esme Moniz-Cook
AU  - Louise Allan
AU  - Chris Fox
AU  - Jane Cross
AU  - Katherine Bradbury
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/27
JO  - PLOS One
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0361620
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361620
AB  - The number of people living with dementia and related costs continue to grow worldwide. Although generally associated with memory difficulties, non-cognitive symptoms of dementia are common and usually stem from unmet needs. Evidence emerging suggests that social prescribing improves the wellbeing of people living with dementia. This study explored adaptations to key elements of social prescribing for people living with dementia, as well as barriers to and enablers of positive experiences among people living with dementia and service providers. The qualitative study engaged people living with dementia (n = 8), carers (n = 9) and service providers (n = 17) involved in social prescribing through primary care. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the essential ingredients of social prescribing schemes comprised the initial organising categories for template analysis. The final template included four integrative themes: unique challenges of dementia; interpretations of the social prescribing role; integration of social prescribing into dementia care; and evaluation, improvement and sustainability. Positive workplace cultures and skills in dementia care and support enabled multidisciplinary collaborations and the successful adaptations of the generic social prescribing model to improve the experiences among people living with dementia and service providers. Resistance to and confusion about the social prescribing link workers’ role, and inappropriate referrals were barriers to positive experiences and bottom-up feedback. Primary care networks’ agreements on core outcomes within proactive systems of dementia care and support may promote meaningful bottom-up feedback on the effectiveness of social prescribing for people living with dementia, guiding service improvements.
SN  - 1932-6203
ER  -