In July 2023 the Groundswell Foundation were fortunate to hear insights from Tracey Crouch CBE MP, the inaugural UK Minister for Loneliness and the Joint Chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for Tackling Loneliness & Connected Communities at a presentation hosted by BDO in Australia.
Key Information:
Social isolation, mental health and loneliness are different things. Loneliness is the feeling of dissatisfaction that arises when social relationships are not meeting emotional needs, which can easily get out of hand, but it is not a mental health condition.
UK policy actions to address loneliness have been multi-dimensional and have required engagement and action across all levels of Government, small business, employers, communities and the built environment.
"Social Prescribing" is a ground-breaking initiative where GPs prescribe a patient into activity groups that build social connections.
Place-based approaches in our built environment enable connections in communities, by creating places where people can come together.
Employers can take practical steps to create real connections in the workplace and this needs to start with an employee’s first day at work.
Tracey shared her insights from the pioneering work the UK Government has undertaken on raising awareness and addressing loneliness over the last decade including focusing on young people, investing in research to build an evidence base and the #LetsTalkLoneliness public awareness campaign. Watch the video here: