No wrong door

What is “No Wrong Door”?

Research shows us that the NHS can only directly influence about 10% of people’s health and wellbeing. There are many factors beyond the scope of the NHS that also play a significant part in people’s mental and physical health: their income, where they live, their employment, how easy it is for them to get fresh food and regular exercise, and how socially isolated they are, among others.

The good news is that there are ways to offer help with many of these issues. The bad news is that it can be hard for people to know where to start. If you don’t know what might help, it’s difficult to look for that support.

No Wrong Door is that idea that every place can offer help, as long as the people behind that “door” know that they can refer anyone and everyone to HertsHelp and the Essex Wellbeing Service. Obviously, if your staff can offer help directly, then that’s great. But if they can’t, all they need to know is how to direct people to either HertsHelp or the Essex Wellbeing Service, as appropriate.

Every door that people in need come to can be the right door, as long as the people there know that HertsHelp and the Essex Wellbeing Service are there. There’s no wrong door if every door leads to help.

Is this social prescribing?

No Wrong Door is part of the wider social prescribing strategy. It is about helping get people in touch with sources of support. Whether or not you have a social prescribing link worker as part of your team, HertsHelp and the Essex Wellbeing Service are sources of information and support to help people find something that will help them.

How this works in practice

Both HertsHelp and the Essex Wellbeing Service act as signposts to other organisations that provide support and services. Although they offer help through their websites, many people will choose to phone. The staff will take time to listen to the person who calls, and then suggest groups, meetings or events that might help. They have the time and expertise to try and get connect people with the organisations that can help them address their issues.

People can refer themselves to HertsHelp and the Essex Wellbeing Service: all you need to do is explain what they are and provide the contact information. Neither service is a miracle cure: people still need to make contact and then act on the information provided.

You and your staff are busy, and there are a lot of different local groups to keep track of. All you need to know is the details for HertsHelp and the Essex Wellbeing Service. This makes your life easier, and helps people get support quickly. This in turn can lead to improved health and wellbeing.