Abstract
Social prescribing (SP) connects primary care users with community resources to address mental well-being and social needs. Evidence on how SP programmes are implemented at scale within primary care systems remains limited. Understanding organizational factors influencing implementation is key to sustainability and equity. This study assessed the implementation of the Social Prescribing Programme (SPP) across primary health care teams (PHCT) in Catalonia (Spain), where 28,395 social prescriptions were recorded in 2025. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all PHCT between March and May 2025. The questionnaire explored organizational, professional, and user-level factors related to programme deployment. Data were analysed descriptively and complemented with a cluster analysis to identify implementation profiles based on key structural and implementation indicators. A composite implementation index (0–100) was developed across five domains: community network, training, registration, follow-up, and enabling factors. A total of 305 PHCT responded (80.7%). Although 84.6% of teams had considered implementing the SPP, only 60.5% had initiated a structured implementation. Four implementation profiles were identified, broadly grouping teams into more active and less active implementers. Barriers included lack of time, weak intersectoral coordination, training gaps, and limited digital tool integration, while facilitators included team motivation and well-developed community networks. Only 34% of teams reported having a dedicated SPP link worker. The mean implementation index score was 54.3 (SD = 20.8), with substantial territorial variability. Registration and user follow-up showed the lowest implementation levels. Despite high acceptability, social prescribing implementation in Catalan primary care remains uneven. Identifying implementation profiles may help tailor support strategies and guide more equitable and sustainable scale-up.
Key messages
• Social prescribing implementation in Catalan primary care shows marked heterogeneity, with distinct implementation profiles across teams.
• Identifying implementation profiles can support tailored strategies to strengthen social prescribing scale-up and reduce territorial inequalities.