All Ireland Social Prescribing Conference brings North and South together in Dundalk

The All‑Ireland Social Prescribing Network (AISPN) will host a two‑day All‑Ireland Social Prescribing Conference at the Fairways Hotel, Dundalk, on 11–12 June 2026, which will be officially opened by Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, bringing together recipients, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, community organisations and health leaders from the North and South of Ireland.

Social prescribing is a community-based, non-medical approach that supports physical, mental and social wellbeing by linking people with local activities, groups and supports in their communities.

The conference will focus on the future development of social prescribing across the island of Ireland, at a time when demand is growing in response to loneliness, mental ill-health, long-term conditions and pressure on primary care.

The All-Ireland Social Prescribing Network (AISPN) is an all-island network that connects social prescribing policy, practice and research. Established in 2017, AISPN brings together practitioners, community and voluntary organisations, academics and health system leaders to advance social prescribing as a core approach to prevention, social inclusion and wellbeing.

Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD is officially opening the conference and said:

Marianna Quinn from South Armagh, representing social prescribing recipients said:

“Social prescribing has completely changed my life. Before, I felt very alone and didn’t know where to turn. Being linked in through social prescribing helped me find local groups, build my confidence and feel part of my community again. It has opened doors to new opportunities I never imagined.”

Anne O’Connor, CEO of the HSE, said:

“Social prescribing is based on the principle of addressing ‘what matters to the person’ rather than ‘what’s the matter with them’. It is a person-centred approach that brings together health services, communities and the many voluntary and community organisations that help deliver this support, linking people with local activities, groups and services that can make a real difference to their health and wellbeing.”

Other conference highlights will include findings from the HSE Realist Evaluation of Social Prescribing in Ireland, sessions on children and youth social prescribing, practice development, building the evidence base, cost effectiveness and social return on investment, and a presentation on the Arts Council’s Arts and Social Prescribing report. The conference will also include discussion of AISPN’s proposal for an All-Ireland School of Social Prescribing, designed to provide leadership, learning and evidence infrastructure for social prescribing across the island.

Professor Deirdre Connolly, Co-Chair of AISPN, said:

Notes to Editor

Social Prescribing

Social prescribing is a free service funded by the HSE, which connects people with local community activities and supports, primarily delivered by the voluntary and community sector. Social prescribing is a person-cantered, preventative and community-based intervention that addresses the social determinants of health and strengthens community connectedness.

HSE-funded Social Prescribing services are now available in over 50 locations around the country. These services are funded by the HSE and delivered by community and voluntary organisations such as Partnership companies and Family Resource Centres. The service based in Southside Partnership is one such service. Social Prescribing is also a service delivered as part of the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Initiative launched in 2021 to reduce health inequalities in designated, high-need areas across Ireland.

Social prescribing supports people with social isolation and loneliness - factors known to negatively impact health and wellbeing. These issues particularly affect older people, individuals with chronic health conditions, people with mental health difficulties and psychosocial needs, carers, single parents, and migrant, immigrant and minority ethnic communities.

Social prescribing is based on the principle of addressing 'what matters to the person' rather than 'what's the matter with them'. This approach initiates personalised care through referrals to social prescribing link workers who work with service users over a number of sessions to support people with their health and wellbeing. A key aspect of social prescribing is the role of the link worker which involves listening to needs of the service user and what matters to them and linking them with community organisations and activities that suit their specific needs and interests. These activities are broad and varied and may include walking groups, arts and creativity-based activities, men’s sheds, sport-based activities and many more.

Service users are referred to social prescribing link workers by referral agents such as GPs, mental health nurses, social care workers and other health professionals as well as community organisations. Self-referrals are also accepted.

HSE-funded social prescribing services - data and evidence

The most recent data from the HSE-funded social prescribing services in the Sláintecare Healthy Communities sites highlighted that the most common reason for referral was social isolation (59%), followed by mental health (17%) and support with living with a long-term condition (10%). Over two thirds (67%) of participants were women, 37% were men, and 38% of participants were over the age of 65 years.

Realist evaluation of HSE-funded social prescribing services

The HSE recently funded the University of Galway to undertake a realist evaluation of HSE-funded social prescribing, which was launched at the Department of Health on 11 May. The evaluation provides a comprehensive qualitative analysis of how HSE-funded social prescribing services operate, what works well, for whom, and in what contexts. See Appendix 1 for numbers of participants involved in the research.

Key findings:

● Participants unanimously identified wide-ranging benefits of social prescribing for service users, including improved social connection, mental and physical health, practical support, and reduced reliance on healthcare services.

● Social prescribing is most beneficial for people experiencing loneliness or social isolation, mild-to-moderate mental health difficulties, long-term health conditions, frequent primary care use, older and retired adults, and those with complex social needs. Personal motivation and readiness to engage are key factors in success.

● Individuals with severe mental health issues, active addiction, or needs requiring specialist intervention tend to benefit less, while younger people and employed adults may face barriers due to limited suitable community-based activities or scheduling conflicts.

● Link workers are central to successful delivery, providing ongoing engagement and fostering motivation, social connection, emotional wellbeing, and a sense of purpose among service users.

● The evaluation highlights significant challenges in delivery, particularly around insufficient funding, governance, and system supports, which limit service sustainability and the ability of link workers to meet demand.

● Localised service models create inconsistencies in delivery and support, especially in underserved areas, while the flexible nature of the role can lead to blurred boundaries in complex cases. Updated national guidance is needed to strengthen governance and funding structures.

● Overall, social prescribing is most effective when delivered as a person-centred, relationship-based intervention supported by adequate resourcing, governance, and integration across services.

About AISPN:

The All-Ireland Social Prescribing Network

The All-Ireland Social Prescribing Network (AISPN) (www.allirelandsocialprescribing.ie) was established in 2017 in response to a growing demand for Social prescribing and to ensure a collaborative approach to the development and delivery of social prescribing services across the island of Ireland. The Network itself is governed by a Steering Group that comprises of social prescribers, community development managers, health professionals and academics from across the island and from different Social Prescribing projects. It has a number of Working Groups responsible for research and development, communications and awareness building, and events-planning.

The purpose of the Network is to champion Social Prescribing so that it is valued, understood and sustained across the island of Ireland. It has held several highly successful social prescribing conferences, north and south since 2018, including Dublin, Waterford and Derry, and are delighted to host this year’s conference in Dundalk. It lobbies politicians and civil servants in Dáil Éireann and Stormont for the development of social prescribing, and the Network’s HSE-funded website is a central hub for promoting and supporting social prescribing initiatives across the island of Ireland.

The work of the Network is carried out voluntarily by individuals who are committed to Social Prescribing as a force for good, reducing health inequalities and improving wellbeing by targeting the social determinants of health. However, in order for the Network to be sustainable, and to continue to drive the development of social prescribing across the island of Ireland, it is now looking to establish an All-Ireland School/Academy of Social Prescribing. Under the leadership of the Network, the role of the School would be to consolidate and formalize the work of the Network in developing current and new models of social prescribing practice, building research and evidence, delivering quality education and driving policy to ensure sustainability of social prescribing across the island of Ireland.

Useful links and resources:

HSE-funded Realist evaluation summary report

Video of Service user testimonial

Video of HSE-funded social prescribing link worker

HSE funded website – All Ireland Social Prescribing Network website including list of HSE-funded services.