Our Journey

A large group of people stood smiling in a line outside in front of a green hedge

Ways to Wellness launched in 2015 to deliver a first for health services around the world.

Our social prescribing prototype, in the west of Newcastle, used Social Impact Bond (SIB) investment, paired with an outcome-driven NHS contract.

The service continues to help people, and has expanded to other parts of the city.

Since 2021 we have developed more innovative new projects. We are supporting families with children requiring hospital treatment, and people on the waiting list for hip and knee operations. Our Maternal Mental Health project is prototyping new ways of supporting families in need across the North East and North Cumbria.

In doing this, we’ve learned a lot.

The importance of time and investment to plan, test and ramp up our idea. The challenges of cross-sector collaboration – such as different languages and assessments of risk – and the enormous potential for change if we can overcome them. The value of defining the target population, outcomes and approach at an early stage. And the importance of robust data systems and clear processes to ultimately demonstrate the viability of the idea.

We will continue to take ideas and work collaboratively to transform them into practical action, from quick prototypes to longer term pilots. We are proud of our history, and we want to use the experience we’ve gained to achieve even more for people in the North East and North Cumbria, and beyond.

Woman with dark curly smiling at a client with her back to the camera
2 figures sit on a sofa, between them a coffee table. A man explains some paperwork to a woman who is holding a baby.
  • An infographic of a large group of people

    In our first 8 years we have worked with over 9,800 people with long term health conditions

  • 2 hands holding each other, forming a heart shape

    In the first 5 years 2,888 clients who we supported and subsequently discharged in this time, 86% improved their wellbeing in at least one domain

  • Infographic of a hand putting cash into a piggy bank

    In the first 5 years £4.6 million of cumulative costs were avoided in secondary care

Our report, ‘Ways to Wellness: The First Six Years’ explains our approach in more detail, and what we’ve learned since the service was established. It’s also a celebration of our impact over this time, improving health and wellbeing for thousands of people.

Front cover of the Ways to Wellness First Six Years Report

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Left to right; Simon Bromhead, Ways to Wellness Head of Development, with Chief Executive Sandra Mitchell-Phillips, and Head of Digital Systems Sonia Townend