Books on Prescription scheme hailed a success

A scheme offering ‘books on prescription' to people with mental health problems has been hailed as a major success.

Last year Devon County Council teamed up with leading independent charity The Reading Agency and the Society of Chief Librarians to help launch the national ‘Reading Well Books on Prescription’ scheme, which aims to use reading as a tool to help those who suffer from conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, phobias and some eating disorders.

Since then loans of self-help books in the ground breaking scheme have more than doubled, reaching around 275,000 people nationally by providing book based therapy as an early intervention treatment for a range of common mental health conditions.

The news of the scheme's success is being announced today for World Mental Health Day.

The initiative, which is the first national books on prescription scheme for England, has seen GPs and other health professionals ‘prescribe’ or recommend books from a list of approved 30 self-help titles for people to borrow from their local library. These books have been borrowed over 5,000 times in Devon since June 2013.

They provide helpful information and step-by-step self-help techniques, and all have been tried and tested and found to be useful.

The books are also available for anyone to borrow free of charge from their local library, and whilst there are around 7,000 prescribers using the scheme across England, 80% of those borrowing a book had self-referred by picking up a leaflet, often in their local library.

The most popular titles in Devon include:

How to stop worrying by Frank Tallis,
Overcoming anxiety: a self-help guide using cognitive behavioural therapy by Helen Kennerley,
Mind over mood: change how you feel by changing the way you think by Dennis Greenberger,
Overcoming low self-esteem: a self-help guide by Melanie Fennell
Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers

A recent survey of those who had borrowed a book from the list revealed that around three quarters found it had helped them understand more about their condition and feel more confident about managing their symptoms. This was also reiterated by the GPs and health professionals who had prescribed the books, with just under half stating the scheme had saved them consultation time.

Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Improving Health and Wellbeing, said: “Recent figures indicate there are around 8 million people in England suffering from anxiety or depression, three quarters of whom may not be receiving any treatment.

“In a very successful first year this scheme has played an important role in helping meet the huge need for mental health support.

“Where appropriate, health professionals have enabled people to take charge of their own mental health without resorting to medication, and have reported that many of their patients have improved confidence around managing their symptoms, which is incredibly positive.

“This is such a good scheme - libraries are very friendly places, so just by going to the library the interaction with others is beneficial and uplifting.

The scheme has also provided a valuable link between community hubs such as libraries and GP surgeries, which are increasingly working together to share the benefits of empowering people to make changes to their own health and wellbeing.”

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for the library service, said: “I am really pleased that our library service is part of this valuable scheme, and over the past year has helped increase access to quality assured health information and advice for those residents in Devon suffering mental ill health.

“There is an enormous need for help understanding and managing common mental health conditions as evidence show that with the right resources many illnesses relating to mental health can be managed independently so there is no need for people to suffer in silence.

“Libraries are seen by many as a safe and trusted place to go for help with information about health problems. Through this scheme they have offered people the tools and information to start to help themselves and take the first step on the road to recovery rather than having to wait or rely solely on medical intervention.

“Our libraries are also about more than just books, they are perfectly placed at the very heart of our communities so are a great place to find out about many other groups and activities which can help improve people’s lives.”

Dr Justin Geddes, a GP at Honiton Surgery, said: “I continue to use this service and now offer it to many of the patients that I see with mental health problems.

"It is a good support mechanism that empowers patients to make some changes. Feedback from many patients is that they like it.”

Dr Niall MacLeod, a GP at Heavitree Practice in Exeter, said: "Empowering patients to take control of their own health is becoming one of the bedrocks of future development of health care in this country.

"Books on Prescription is a fantastic tool helping the patient to better understand their condition and receive expert guidance on how to improve their lives."

Following the success of this scheme in helping those with common mental health conditions, a new dementia focussed scheme will be launched in January 2015.