Table 2.

Elements of Tailoring Identified from the Research (see Supplementary File 4 for Supporting Data from Interviews).

Messaging	This relates to how the idea of a cultural offer is presented to an older person and is linked to their non-medical needs. This may need to be tailored in a way that encourages someone to be receptive to what is being suggested. The cultural sector needs to provide clear information to LWs about what it can provide so they can talk to patients about such provision in a convincing and knowledgeable manner.
Matching	Tailoring may call for LWs to take time to understand what an individual might be open to trying in order to make appropriate connections to cultural offers. They have to know what a cultural offer involves and how it might benefit someone. If a LW or older person perceives cultural offers as “elitist,” this may be a barrier to successful matching. Tailoring in this respect may involve addressing concerns an older person has with trying a cultural offer (this may be done by the LW or by cultural providers). It also relies on having a range of cultural offers available within a local area. Tailoring may entail matching an older person with a “buddy” who can try cultural offers with them (in-person or online).
Monitoring	Collecting regular feedback is important to understand if and in what ways cultural offers are accessible and appropriate, and to identify areas for improvement in what is offered and how an offer is presented to an older person. Cultural sector staff should gather such feedback from older people and LWs, and LWs should have catch-ups with older people to see if a cultural offer is working for them. Monitoring in this way enables cultural offers to be tailored to the preferences and needs of specific populations. It could provide information to LWs that would enable them to propose the idea of a cultural offer to older people in a knowledgeable and convincing manner, if they have positive data or testimonials to draw upon. Monitoring data could also be collected so that LWs and cultural providers become aware if certain individuals do not use cultural offers and, if so, to examine why.
Partnerships	Positive interactions and relationships between different parties (older people, LWs, and cultural sector staff) are key to tailoring. This can help with the coproduction of accessible and acceptable cultural offers, presented in a way that makes them appealing and able to support older people’s non-medical needs. The more connections a LW has with the cultural sector, the more options they can propose to older people they see; this will mean they can tailor a social prescription to someone’s preferences/needs. Partnerships within a cultural organization are also required so that staff involved in delivering cultural offers feel well supported by their employers. This relates to the idea of having boundaries.
Maintaining boundaries	Cultural sector staff described the need for clear exit plans or routes to other support following a social prescribing cultural offer. This has implications when it comes to tailoring. Cultural staff worried that they might lack the skills or infrastructure to assist people with significant psychosocial difficulties. Having space and opportunities to discuss emotional issues arising from social prescribing work was seen as essential for staff we interviewed. Such support may need to be tailored to individual staff needs or the specific offer they are providing as part of social prescribing.