This evaluation provides updated findings from the Rotherham Social Prescribing Mental Health Service. The service aims to help users of secondary mental health services build and direct their own packages of support, by accessing tailored voluntary activity in the community, with a view to achieving sustainable discharges from mental health services.
The report has a number of aims:
to understand the impact of the service on the well-being of service users;
to identify wider outcomes and social benefits associated with the service;
to understand the impact of the service on discharge from secondary mental health services;
to explore the potential economic benefits of the service.

The report draws on a variety of data sources to reflect on achievements and learning from the activities of the service to date. Well-being outcome questionnaires completed by 161 service users at two points in time: upon first engaging with the Service (baseline) and after approximately 4-6 months (follow-up) as part of a review. Monitoring data from VAR on the number of people referred to the Service, take-up of services, discharge rates from secondary mental health services and a series of wider outcome measures.

Case studies of three social prescribing service users to illustrate the different ways in which people are benefiting from the service. Chapter three provides analysis of the outcomes and impact of the service, and Chapter four concludes and provides a summary of the main findings.

Dayson, C. and Bennett, E. (2017). Evaluation of the Rotherham Mental Health Social Prescribing Service 2015/16-2016/17. Sheffield: CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University.