To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on including active travel within his proposals for social prescribing.
Answered on
23 May 2022
Officials have worked with the Department for Transport to development of active travel social prescribing pilot schemes. Thirty one local authorities were invited to participate in a feasibility study, which has now been submitted. The local authorities selected to receive funding for pilots will be confirmed in summer 2022.
Integrated care systems will be responsible for drawing up an integrated care strategy for its area on how local Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNAs) will be met. Commissioners of health and care services must have regard to the strategy in exercising its functions, including decisions on local social prescribing activity. This will also be informed by the outcome of the active travel pilots as it emerges.