Books on Prescription from Plymouth Libraries

GPs in Plymouth can now issue ‘Books on Prescription’ to help improve the health of people in the city.

Plymouth City Council’s Library Service is launching the Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme on Friday 25 October at Central Library from 11am to 2pm. The scheme gives local health professionals a core booklist covering common conditions such as anxiety, depression, phobias, panic attacks, bulimia and sleep problems. They can then select an appropriate title and write a ‘book prescription’ that can be taken to any Plymouth library. All books on the list are available to borrow or reserve for free.

There is increasing evidence that self-help reading can help people with common mental health conditions. All the titles on the booklist have been recommended by experts. For more information people can contact their local library or visit www.readingagency/readingwell.

Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Peter Smith said: “This new scheme is an important link between GPs and the health related books we have in our libraries. There is a lot of information available and this is a good way of helping people get access to it.”

The launch will be part of the Mind Matters health event where visitors can try out a free Shiatsu massage or experience an introductory mindfulness session. There will also be advice and information from MIND, Healthwatch Plymouth, Plymouth Dementia Action Alliance, Plymouth Options and the Plymouth Adult and Community Learning Service.

Plymouth libraries provide information and support on a range of health and social care issues and services. This includes a selection of health titles in all our libraries and staff trained to help find good quality health information. There is more information on www.plymouth.gov.uk/healthandwellbeing.

The Reading Well Books on Prescription initiative has been developed by The Reader Agency and The Society of Chief Librarians and is part of a nationwide scheme to bring reading benefits to the 6 million people with common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. ‘Books on Prescription’ has the backing of the Royal Colleges of GPs, Nursing and Psychiatry, the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies and of the Department of Health.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) states that self-help books can support people to understand and manage a range of common mental health conditions.