Social Prescribing in the Australian Context: A National Feasibility Study Report

This report summarises the findings of a national feasibility study commissioned by the Australian
Government Department of Health and Aged Care (now the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing)
to assess the viability of implementing social prescribing in the Australian context. The aims of the feasibility
study were to:
• collate and review the most up-to-date Australian and international social prescribing evidence, including
peer-reviewed research, programmatic evaluations and other relevant literature;
• analyse the key features and shared characteristics of successful international and Australian social
prescribing initiatives;
• determine which social prescribing models are most applicable and appropriate in the Australian context
for connecting primary healthcare patients to non-clinical interventions and community supports; and
• identify barriers and enablers to the effective, systematic implementation of social prescribing as an
adjunct to primary healthcare in Australia.