Journal article
Exploring the need for a social prescribing pathway in an Australian paediatric allied healthcare intake service: a pilot feasibility and acceptability study
Frontiers in public health, Vol.14, pp.1-9
01/04/2026
PMID: 41994516
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
Metrics
2 File views/ downloads
3 Record Views
Abstract
Background: The social determinants of health (SDH) drive child health inequities. Adverse SDH are experienced at an individual level as unmet social needs. In a paediatric Allied Healthcare system, these unmet social needs are barriers to service access.
Evidence: Social prescribing offers a promising solution. However, this practice is not routinely implemented in Australia.
Objective: To determine whether the Routine Identification of Unmet Social Needs to Unlock Potential (RISE UP) social prescribing model of care is needed, feasible, and acceptable within a paediatric Allied Healthcare intake context.
Methods: A pilot study using mixed-methods approach to design, implement, and evaluate the RISE UP model of care.
Results: Most parent/carers, 114 of 144 (79.2%), agreed to participate in RISE UP, with 74 of 114 (64.9%), reporting one or more unmet social needs. Childcare (n = 54, 47.4%) and employment (n = 52, 45.6%) were the most common needs. Multivariable analysis showed that each additional year of child age increased the risk of unmet needs by 7% [adjusted relative risk (RR) 1.07, 95% CI 1.03–1.10, p < 0.001], and families speaking only non-English at home had a 40% higher risk compared to English-only speakers (adjusted RR 1.40, 95% CI 1.01–1.94, p < 0.05). RISE UP was acceptable to parents/carers (97.2%). Staff reported mixed acceptability (55.8%) and feasibility (64.3%).
Conclusion: Unmet social needs identification and referrals pathways in paediatric Allied Healthcare intake services are needed and acceptable to parents/carers. However, further action is required to overcome challenges in integrating these models within existing Allied Healthcare systems in Australia.
Details
- Title
- Exploring the need for a social prescribing pathway in an Australian paediatric allied healthcare intake service: a pilot feasibility and acceptability study
- Creators
- Lauren Hamill - Sydney Children's HospitalAnna Kearns - Sydney Children’s Hospitals NetworkAmy Rogers - Sydney Local Health DistrictNaome Reid - Sydney Local Health DistrictLimin Buchanan - Sydney Local Health DistrictJahidur Rahman Khan - UNSW SydneyNatalie Munro - The University of SydneyAlison Purcell - Western Sydney UniversityKatarina Ostojic - The University of SydneyRachel Walker - Sydney Local Health DistrictSue Woolfenden - Sydney Local Health District
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in public health, Vol.14, pp.1-9
- Publisher
- Frontiers Research Foundation
- Grant note
- The author(s) declared that financial support was received for this work and/or its publication. LH received funding support from Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation and their generous community of donors. KO received funding support through Luminesce Alliance -Innovation for Children’s Health. Luminesce Alliance is a not-for-profit cooperative joint venture between the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, the Children’s Medical Research Institute, the Children’s Cancer Institute, the University of Sydney, and the University of New South Wales Sydney. It has been established with the support of the NSW Government to coordinate and integrate paediatric research.
- Identifiers
- 991013370860402368
- Copyright
- © 2026 Hamill, Kearns, Rogers, Reid, Buchanan, Khan, Munro, Purcell, Ostojic, Walker and Woolfenden.
- Academic Unit
- Allied Health and Midwifery; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article