Warwickshire News Mine

Books on Prescription (BOP) in Warwickshire was formally launched at Shire Hall in Warwick on April 21. The countywide service is designed to help people with mild to moderate mental health problems.

“When it comes to a person’s wellbeing, mental and physical health are equally important,” said Warwickshire BOP Project Officer Alison McKellar.

“Health Information Week provides us with an opportunity to spread the word about Books on Prescription more widely - to both GPs and other health professionals, and to the general public.”

Alison will promote BOP at Health Information Week event in Lillington Library on Monday July 5 from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Between 2.00pm and 3.00pm there will also be free blood pressure and diabetes checks from Lloyds the Chemist, plus there will be information about Wellbeing Centre services provided by the Old Bank Wellbeing Project, Rethink.

BOP is the result of partnership working between Warwickshire County Council, the NHS in Warwickshire and Warwickshire’s voluntary and community sector. The scheme is funded by Warwickshire County Council, via a Mental Health Capital Grant. 

Collections of self-help books are now available across the Warwickshire library network and in Wellbeing Centres for GPs, health and mental health professionals to ‘prescribe’. The books can also be borrowed without prescription, by anyone with a library membership card. Loans are free for three weeks, and easily renewable thereafter.

There are currently 24 different BOP titles covering a range of mental health topics, from anger and eating disorders to sleep problems and stress. The books can be prescribed alone, or to compliment other treatments.

John Linnane, Director of Public Health at NHS Warwickshire said, “One in four of us will experience problems with our mental wellbeing at some time in our lives. We know from schemes operating elsewhere that Books on Prescription can really help people to understand and manage their mental health issues.”

BOP collections are on permanent display in 13 of Warwickshire’s 34 libraries but can be ordered for collection from any library, or mobile library, in the county, or via the online reservation service at: warwickshire.gov.uk/libraries

Alison said that library staff had received training to deliver the scheme and are able to signpost people borrowing BOP titles to local Wellbeing Centres for further advice and support. These are:

Bedworth
Wellbeing Station, FCH, 97 Leicester Road. Tel 02476 848134

Leamington
Wellbeing Centre, MIND, Brunswick Health Living Centre. Tel: 01789 298615

Nuneaton
Wellbeing Station, FCH, 183 Queens Road. Tel: 02476 848134

North Warwickshire
Sessions at Atherstone, Arley, Baddersley and Mancetter run by FCH Nuneaton. Tel: 02476 848134

Rugby
Wellbeing Service, Rugby MIND, 28 Cromwell Road. Tel: 01788 570826

Stratford
Springfield Wellbeing Exchange, MIND, 185 Drayton Avenue. Tel: 01789 298615

Warwick
The Old Bank Wellbeing Project, Rethink, 45 Coten End. Tel: 01926 419227

More information about the Books on Prescription scheme is available online at: warwickshire.gov.uk/booksonprescription.

Link to WCC