Section 01Service definition
Community navigation, also known as social prescribing, uses link workers, community navigators or community connectors to help people with practical, social and emotional needs. The worker listens to what matters to the person, agrees a plan and connects them to activities, groups and services in their community.
Models commissioners buy include:
- Link worker and social prescribing services linked to GP practices and primary care networks.
- Council community navigation and community connector services.
- Local area coordination, working with people in a defined neighbourhood.
- Integrated prevention contracts combining navigation with befriending, carers support or advice.
Section 02Typical client cohort
Adults with long-term conditions, people who are lonely or isolated, people with low-level mental health needs, people with complex social needs such as debt, housing or benefits problems, frequent users of GP and hospital services, and carers.
Section 03Commissioning and procurement context
Social prescribing is commissioned by councils, integrated care boards and primary care networks, often with public health funding. Contracts are frequently marked as suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, and may include a small grants pot to grow local community groups.
Specifications ask for knowledge of the local voluntary sector, clear referral pathways from health and social care, and evidence of impact on wellbeing and demand for statutory services.
Section 04Core service requirements
- Referral routes from GPs, hospitals, social care, housing and self-referral, with response times.
- Person-centred conversations and personalised plans, with follow-up and review.
- An up-to-date directory of local groups and services, and work to fill gaps.
- Recruitment, training and supervision of link workers or navigators.
- Outcome measurement using a recognised wellbeing tool, plus case studies.
- Data sharing and recording that meets health and social care information governance standards.
Section 05Regulatory and compliance framework
Social prescribing is not a Care Quality Commission regulated activity. Evaluators look for safeguarding arrangements, information governance and UK GDPR compliance, clinical escalation routes when a person's health deteriorates, lone working and staff wellbeing, and quality assurance of the groups people are referred to.
Section 06Key operational challenges
- Caseloads rising faster than link worker capacity.
- Community groups that close or are full, leaving nowhere to refer people.
- Showing impact on wellbeing and on demand for GP and social care services.
- Keeping referrers engaged so that the right people are referred.
Section 07How we approach this setting
We read the specification and the entire tender pack in full, then build answers that show how people reach the service, how conversations become plans and how plans lead to lasting change. We use your local partnerships, data and case examples, and tie them to the local health and wellbeing priorities.
Section 08Where this applies
Social prescribing link worker services, community navigation and community connector contracts, local area coordination, and integrated prevention and wellbeing services.
