🏛️Authorities and Organisations for Support via GP Referral or Signposting

Practice a case with the AI patient 🤖

🧑‍⚕️ 1. Social Prescribing Link Workers (NHS England)

• Often based at GP surgeries.

• Can refer to local community and voluntary services related to:

  • Benefits

  • Employment

  • Social isolation

  • Childcare support

• How to access: GP referral

• Social services can carry out a carer’s assessment to understand your needs and challenges as the main carer. They can recommend and arrange additional support, such as:

  • Home care visits to help with personal care and daily tasks

  • Respite care to give you a break, either at home or in a care facility

  • Day centres where your mother can spend time safely and engage in activities

  • Equipment or adaptations at home to make caring easier and safer

  • Emotional support and counselling services for carers

  • Advice about financial support and benefits you may be entitled to as a carer

💷 2. Financial & Benefits Advice

Organisation/Authority	Services Provided
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)	Free help with benefits, debt, housing, employment, legal rights.
Turn2us (Charity)	Helps people find grants and welfare support.
StepChange (Charity)	Debt management plans, budgeting help.
Local Authority Welfare Assistance Schemes	Crisis support funds, food bank referrals, emergency housing help.
Jobcentre Plus (DWP- Department for Work and Pensions)	Help with job-seeking, Universal Credit, ESA, and employment programmes.

👶 3. Child Support & Parenting Help

Organisation/Authority	Services Provided
Health Visitors (NHS)	For families with children under 5—support with feeding, behaviour, and parenting.
Children’s Centres (Sure Start Centres)	Local hubs for parenting courses, early learning, childcare help.
Home-Start UK (Charity)	Volunteers provide emotional and practical support to struggling families.
Early Help Teams (Local Authority)	Preventive support for families not meeting safeguarding thresholds.
Children’s Social Care (Local Authority)	For child safeguarding, neglect, or complex family support needs.
Family Nurse Partnership (NHS, for <19y mothers)	Regular home visits for young mothers to support parenting skills.

🏡 4. Housing & Homelessness Support

Organisation/Authority	Services Provided
Shelter UK	Legal advice on housing, eviction, unsafe housing, homelessness.
Local Housing Authority	Housing benefit, homelessness applications, emergency housing.
Crisis (Charity)	Support for homeless individuals or those at risk.
StreetLink	Alerts local councils if someone is sleeping rough.
Women’s Aid / Refuge	Safe housing and support for women fleeing domestic violence.

🏢 5. Employment Support

Organisation/Authority	Services Provided
Jobcentre Plus (Department for Work & Pensions)	Job search, benefits advice, disability support (Access to Work).
Work and Health Programme	For unemployed or long-term sick individuals to return to work.
National Careers Service	Job training, CV writing, interview skills.
Local job clubs or community employment schemes	Often accessed via social prescribing.

🧠 6. Mental Health Services

Organisation/Authority	Services Provided
IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies)	CBT, IPT, counselling for depression/anxiety.
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)	For children and teens.
Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs)	Multidisciplinary team for moderate to severe mental illness.
Crisis Teams (Home Treatment Teams)	Urgent support for psychiatric crises.
Mind (Charity)	Mental health support groups, helplines.

🚸 7. Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding

Organisation/Authority	Services Provided
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)	Police, social care, NHS joint safeguarding team.
NSPCC	Support for child abuse prevention.
Women’s Aid / Refuge	Domestic abuse help lines, shelters, legal advice.
Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB)	For adults at risk of abuse/neglect.

📚 8. Educational & Youth Support

Organisation/Authority	Services Provided
Virtual School Heads (through local authorities)	Support for looked-after children in education.
Youth Offending Teams	Help for young people at risk of crime or school exclusion.

✅ Notes for PLAB 2/Clinical Exams:

When identifying non-medical concerns, it’s appropriate to say:

“With your permission, I can refer you to our social prescribing link worker who can guide you to local services for benefits advice, childcare support, housing, and emotional wellbeing. If you're facing financial hardship or unemployment, we can also connect you to Citizens Advice and Jobcentre Plus for practical help.”

📚 References:

• https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/social-prescribing/

• https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions

• https://www.gov.uk/browse/housing-local-services

• https://www.nhs.uk/services/service-directory/uk-cab/N10970400

• https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/