Social prescribing is an approach that aims to improve health and well-being. It connects individuals to non-clinical services and supports that address social needs, such as those related to loneliness, housing instability and mental health. At the person level, social prescribing can give individuals the knowledge, skills, motivation and confidence to manage their own health and well-being. At the society level, it can facilitate greater collaboration across health, social, and community sectors to promote integrated care and move beyond the traditional biomedical model of health. While the term social prescribing was first popularised in the UK, this practice has become more prevalent and widely publicised internationally over the last decade. This paper aims to illuminate the ways social prescribing has been conceptualised and implemented across 17 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. We draw from the ‘Beyond the Building Blocks’ framework to describe the essential inputs for adopting social prescribing into policy and practice, related to service delivery; social determinants and household production of health; workforce; leadership and governance; financing, community organisations and societal partnerships; health technology; and information, learning and accountability. Cross-cutting lessons can inform country and regional efforts to tailor social prescribing models to best support local needs.

This study determines the needs of men experiencing domestic abuse from an intimate partner. In-depth interviews with 6 men who sought support are analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Four master themes (interpreted as needs) are identified from analysis, “recognition” (of male victims and the impact), “safety,” “accepting domestic abuse,” and “rebuilding.” A need for recognition is identified as the dominant theme influencing the capacity for the 3 remaining needs to be met. Domestic abuse is generally understood to be a gendered, heteronormative experience. Abused men are not acknowledged as “typical” victims. The lack of recognition prevented participants from accepting and recognizing their victimization resulting in delayed help-seeking and prolonged abuse. A joint commitment is required from policy and practice to raise the profile of abused men, challenge wider society's prevailing norms, and embed equal status for all victims.

The integration of SMS into routine care is not an automatic outcome from training. A transformative learning process is often required to trigger the necessary mindset shift. Training should focus on how individual HCPs define and value SMS and how their work context (patient group and organisational constraints) influences this process. Proactively addressing potential contextual barriers may facilitate implementation. These findings could be applied to other types of training designed to shift attitudes amongst HCPs.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the needs of men experiencing domestic abuse from the perspective of the professionals supporting them. Design/methodology/approach An all Wales qualitative study, 20 semi-structured interviews were completed with managers and practitioners of domestic abuse services supporting men. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Analysis identified six themes: against the tide of recognition, a need to recognise and accept domestic abuse, knowledge of provision, low numbers of men, resources (time and funding) and rebuilding. However, against the tide of recognition was central. Domestic abuse is understood as a heteronormative and gendered experience; abused men defy these notions. Research limitations/implications Findings cannot be generalised across the UK. This study offers a valuable base on which to build future knowledge. Future research might consider recruiting larger samples or follow up qualitative findings with a larger quantitative survey. Practical implications This paper presents the manager and practitioner views of the service needs and solutions for men. They perceive that abused men need to recognise and accept victimisation, have knowledge of provision and know it is acceptable to seek help and receive practical support. Social implications Increasing recognition cannot be achieved in isolation. A shared commitment is required from policy, practice and research to raise the agenda for abused men. Originality/value This is an under-researched area. This paper is the first to explore the needs of men through the lens of domestic abuse professionals.

GCM is a suitable method for nurses to use in research or practice development activities as it is based on a facilitative and engagement-led approach.