SusQI Showcase 2024: Food growing initiatives in primary care with patient engagement

SusQI Showcase 2024

Dr Kath Brown is a GP partner in Cornwall , the Clinical Lead for Primary Care Climate Resilience Team and a Director for Greener Practice.
Dr Brown’s particular interest is in social prescribing as well as food and nature-based interventions to achieve healthy people on a healthy planet.

Talk Synopsis:
Type 2 Diabetes carries a large burden of disease.  This project harnessed the power of a social prescribing team and demonstrates the benefit of adopting a sustainability lens.

Lack of access to affordable healthy food was a significant barrier for patients. The team accessed funding to enable patients to receive a weekly veg box from a local community growing space where they are also encouraged to volunteer.

Tailored diabetic education and support, alongside veg boxes improved diabetic control, and increased social interaction. Patients were sharing recipes with their family and friends disseminating positive change.