Exploring the organisation of community-centred approaches in Norway: the potential of social prescribing (narrative review)

Abstract

Norway currently has no national social prescribing network, policy, or national infrastructure specific to social prescribing. Several services exist that fit within a social prescribing concept, including arts on prescription, pharmacy led social prescribing, social farm-based services and an initiative by the Norwegian Red Cross to address loneliness. Norwegian society can benefit from developing its infrastructure around social prescribing that takes into consideration the public health, cultural, geographical, and political contexts, and experiences and evidence from social prescribing implementation in the UK (and international progress) to inform this development.
An international collaboration between the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and the University of Central Lancashire, UK (Social Prescribing Unit) aimed to explore the status quo and future needs of social prescribing in Norway, and to explore potential research projects specific to the Norwegian infrastructure around social prescribing. Colleagues from medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy, with expertise in social prescribing, public health, primary care and social epidemiology, used a critical realist approach to develop a specialist interest group (SIG) on social prescribing research relevant to Norway and the UK.
This collaboration facilitated the development of a Norwegian Social Prescribing Network (NSPN), due in 2025 by the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL). Research is underway in collaboration with the Norwegian Red Cross on social prescribing, but more research is required to inform the debate around social prescribing in Norway. Group Concept Mapping of national stakeholder opinions and expertise specific to social prescribing in Norway is needed to inform future policy, evidence, and practice. The NSPN will initiate and stimulate a national debate and further develop a collaborative of key stakeholders to strengthen social prescribing in Norway, spearheaded by HVL.