Lottery grant to extend GP listening scheme across Blackpool

Social prescribing enables people to share problems such as money worries and loneliness which may affect their health, with a specialist member of staff.

It has been running on a small scale in Blackpool for five years but is now set to be rolled out to 10 surgeries across the town after South Shore-based community group Social Enterprise Solutions secured the Lottery funding.

Chairman Alistair Clarke said: “We’ve been able to help so many people over the last few years and with this extra money, I’m delighted we’re able to extend the service.

“You remember the old phrase ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’, so first and foremost we listen to what’s troubling people. Then we help people to feel that they can regain control of some of their problems.

“The hope is that some people will then be less reliant on medication and their GP.”

The service can deal with issues such as isolation, money difficulties or relationship issues.

The three year grant will pay for staff to be based in GP surgeries, but due to the Covid-19 outbreak, it will initially launch as a telephone service to keep in regular contact with people who may need help.

Blackpool South MP Scott Benton welcomed the initiative.

He said: “This is great news for Blackpool and I look forward to helping with the scheme in any way that I can.

“Social Enterprise Solutions have provided an extremely valuable service for the last few years.

"This substantial grant funding award from the National Lottery is very welcome and this will ensure that the valuable service which they operate in providing support for people to talk about their problems can be expanded to more surgeries.”