National Academy for Social Prescribing

What National Academy for Social Prescribing does

The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) is a UK-registered charity (charity number 1191145) founded in 2019 and headquartered in London, operating as a national and international convening body for social prescribing — the practice of routing patients to non-clinical community resources such as arts, nature, music, and voluntary-sector activities to address health and wellbeing. NASP serves as the central hub linking NHS primary care, the 3,300+ link workers embedded in Primary Care Networks across England, voluntary and community sector organisations, academics, and policymakers, and reports that 2 million+ people have benefited from social prescribing since its founding. Its work extends to 38+ countries, anchored by its designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Prescribing Policy and Development.

NASP's core "products" are programmes, Centres of Excellence, and evidence networks rather than a proprietary technology platform. Flagship programmes include the Power of Music Fund (founded with a £1m gift from The Utley Foundation, £2.7m raised toward a £5m target, with 200+ grants awarded to organisations) and the £5.77m Green Social Prescribing Programme (2021-2025, funded by HM Treasury, Defra, NHS England, and DLUHC). Centres of Excellence have been established with Manchester Camerata (Music and Dementia) and Age UK Hertfordshire (Training), and an International Arts on Prescription Collaborative launched in 2025 to coordinate cross-border activity. The charity co-hosts the National Centre for Social Prescribing Data and Analysis with UCL and convenes an International Evidence Collaborative with 300+ academics.

The revenue model is grant-and-donation funded, supplemented by international consultancy. Headcount is 11-50 employees. Key disclosed funders are HM Treasury, DHSC, NHS England, Defra, DLUHC, The Utley Foundation, and Arts Council England; public awareness of social prescribing has nearly doubled from 13% in 2022 to 24% in 2026, indicating that NASP is the recognised institutional champion of a rising category in UK health policy.

Name

National Academy for Social Prescribing

Legal name

National Academy for Social Prescribing

Website

https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Academy for Social Prescribing is a UK-registered charity that serves as the national and international convening body for social prescribing, linking NHS primary care, link workers, voluntary sector organisations, and academics to deliver non-clinical community health interventions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Prescribing Advocacy and Community Health Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care Networks, Groups & MSOs (HLAFAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Virtual Care (Payer Network) (HLALACAC), Allied Health & Rehab Referral Platforms (PT/OT/SLP) (HLALALAI)

Keywords

• Social prescribing advocacy
• Community health connections
• Non-medical wellbeing support
• Healthcare voluntary partnerships
• Social prescribing training

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Charitable Operations and Grant Funding: NASP operates as a registered charity (1191145 in England and Wales) relying on grants, donations, and commissioned work. Major funding includes the £5.77m Green Social Prescribing Programme (Treasury Shared Outcomes Fund), £1 million initial donation from The Utley Foundation for the Power of Music Fund, and £500k secured from NHS. The organization drives investment into social prescribing frontline organizations through funds like the Power of Music Fund (£5 million target, £2.7 million raised so far).
2. Power of Music Fund Management: NASP manages the Power of Music Fund, a pooled funding vehicle bringing together government bodies, philanthropists, trusts, foundations, businesses and individual donors to support music activities for people living with dementia. Fundraising target is £5 million with £2.7 million already raised including £500k from NHS.
3. International Consultancy and Training Services: NASP provides consultancy services to international governments and organizations developing social prescribing programmes. They deliver comprehensive packages including learning visits, workshops, and strategy sessions. This represents a service revenue stream for supporting global adoption of social prescribing models.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

NASP is a national charity that champions social prescribing by convening the NHS, Social Prescribing Link Workers, voluntary and community organisations, academics, and international partners. It delivers free online training courses, toolkits, webinars, evidence reports, and professional networks, and manages the Power of Music Fund grant programme supporting music activities for people living with dementia. NASP also serves as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Prescribing Policy and Development, providing international consultancy and learning visits.

Product overview

The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) operates as a national charity offering a platform of training, resources, and professional networks rather than a single product. The core offerings include three online training courses delivered via Thinkific (Social Prescribing Essentials, Children and Young People Social Prescribing Training, and Heritage Social Prescribing Module), supported by a Link Worker Webinar Series. NASP also provides the Social Prescribing Champions Scheme for healthcare advocates, the Social Prescribing Innovation Network and Showcase for cross-sector collaboration, the International Social Prescribing Collaborative for global knowledge sharing, and the Power of Music Fund as a grant programme. Additional resources include the Green Social Prescribing Toolkit, Link Worker Induction Guide, and Social Prescribing Evaluation Resources for the voluntary sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Power of Music Fund: A fund managed by NASP that supports local groups and organisations providing music activities for people living with dementia.
• Power of Music Learning Network

Products and services

• Social Prescribing Essentials Course A free online course on the Thinkific platform providing the key principles, core skills and evidence base for getting started with social prescribing. It covers what social prescribing is and why it matters, the role of link workers and multidisciplinary teams, strength-based and person-centred approaches, effective conversations, and personalised care planning. Targeted at link workers, healthcare professionals, and VCFSE practitioners.
• Children and Young People Social Prescribing Training A free 45-minute online course introducing social prescribing for children and young people, explaining what it is and how it works to enhance the wellbeing of young people. Targeted at link workers, healthcare professionals, schools, and youth workers.
• Heritage Social Prescribing Module A free online training module supporting Social Prescribing Link Workers to understand the positive impact of heritage and connect people to heritage groups, activities, and experiences, contributing to improved wellbeing and stronger communities. Developed in partnership with Historic England.
• Social Prescribing Link Worker Webinar Series A free webinar series designed to support Social Prescribing Link Workers' learning and professional development, exploring key areas such as person-centred care planning, collecting meaningful outcomes, establishing referral pathways, equality and diversity, cultural safety, and housing support.
• Social Prescribing Champions Scheme A programme enabling healthcare professionals to champion and promote the role of social prescribing in supporting people's health and wellbeing, raising awareness within workplaces and advocating for NASP resources. Targeted at GPs, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and practice managers.
• Social Prescribing Innovation Network A national network bringing together professionals from across the social prescribing sector, providing tutorials, events, and insights to support voluntary and community organisations to develop their social prescribing offer and create new opportunities.
• International Social Prescribing Collaborative
• Social Prescribing Innovation Showcase An online platform featuring examples of innovation and transformation from across the social prescribing system to inspire innovation journeys and inform practice. VCFSE organisations can submit their projects to be featured.
• Power of Music Fund
• Green Social Prescribing Toolkit A toolkit for health and green sector practitioners designed to help communities, organisations, and health professionals set up green social prescribing programmes that connect with local health systems.
• Link Worker Induction Guide A guide written by link workers for link workers, aimed at those new to the role, containing tips, checklists, video support, templates, and guidance.
• Social Prescribing Evaluation Resources A toolkit for voluntary and faith organisations on the best way of evaluating social prescribing projects, supporting impact measurement for VCFSE providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• £9 wellbeing benefit per £1 invested
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers28 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• International Arts on Prescription CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Convened by NASP in late 2025 following ISPC identification of need for thematically focused subgroup. Brings together professionals involved in Arts on Prescription initiatives to share knowledge, strengthen practice, and support global innovation. Open to individuals working in arts social prescribing within non-profit or statutory/government-funded organisations.
• World Health Organization (WHO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASP has been designated as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Prescribing Policy and Development. This recognition positions England’s social prescribing model at the centre of global policy development, as WHO accelerates efforts to embed community-based, preventative approaches across health and care systems globally.
• International Social Prescribing Collaborative (ISPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASP is a founding member and secretariat of the International Social Prescribing Collaborative, a global group working with international colleagues to raise awareness, spread and scale social prescribing. Connected with leaders in over 38 countries including US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia.
• International Evidence CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASP established the International Evidence Collaborative with core academic partners to understand and advance research on social prescribing in UK and abroad. Working with Social Prescribing Network, the IEC has delivered online seminars and commissioned evidence reviews on wide range of social prescribing topics.
• Arts Council EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on creative health and social prescribing. Long history of supporting creative health. Collaborating with NASP on embedding social prescribing across arts, culture and creative health sectors. Provides funding guidance for creative health through Project Grants.
• Manchester CameratacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner for Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia (appointed April 2024) working with Greater Manchester NHS, Alzheimer's Society, University of Manchester, GM Combined Authority and local VCSE partners. Co-lead of Power of Music Learning Network.
• Age UK HertfordshirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner for Centre of Excellence for Training in Music and Dementia (launched spring 2025) working with Hertfordshire Care Providers Association, Music24, Hertfordshire County Council and other partners. Training care home staff to become Music Champions.
• Sport EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to embed physical activity in social prescribing. Partner in Green Social Prescribing Programme. NASP works with Sport England to connect sport and physical activity providers to health system and support Active Travel Social Prescribing Pilots.
• Natural EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Green Social Prescribing Programme. Provides Health and Natural Environment Regional Advisers who can connect organizations to green social prescribing. Key partner for nature-based interventions research and implementation.
• Historic EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding heritage social prescribing work and developed collaboration on Heritage and Social Prescribing Community of Practice. Devised the 'six ways into wellbeing' framework demonstrating how heritage can benefit people. Joint development of training modules and resources.
• Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Green Social Prescribing Programme. Social prescribing incorporated into national policy including Major Conditions Strategy. NASP engages with DHSC on overprescribing review highlighting social prescribing as alternative to medication.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject manager of cross-Government Green Social Prescribing Programme. Leading implementation of nature-based social prescribing initiatives across government departments.
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Green Social Prescribing Programme. Contributing to cross-government effort on community health and neighbourhood wellbeing.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished the National Centre for Social Prescribing Data and Analysis in partnership with UCL. UCL's Social Biobehavioural Research Group produces evidence, guides including Social Prescribing Youth Network and CAMHS practitioners guide. Partners on Wellbeing While Waiting research.
• Edge Hill UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner on systematic evidence review focusing on how nature-based projects can support people living with range of long-term conditions.
• University of ExetercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner on Choices project looking at pathways for children and young people. Published Nature on Prescription handbook for promoting mental health.
• Independent AgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity partnership on improving lives of older people facing financial hardship. Commissioned two pilot projects in Hastings and Leicester exploring how social prescribing can support older people experiencing financial difficulties and health inequalities. Provides free training for professionals.
• Good Faith PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on faith and social prescribing including co-hosting roundtables bringing together health leaders and national faith organizations spanning Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities. Joint report on building strategic partnerships for neighbourhood health.
• Barnardo'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLINK Cumbria social prescribing service for children and young people showing positive outcomes with £1.80 benefit for every £1 invested. Research demonstrates positive outcomes for young people participating in social prescribing.
• StreetgamescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed Children's and Young People's Social Prescribing Toolkit with NHS England. Focus on community-based sports and youth organizations connecting to health systems.
• Nordoff and RobbinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Power of Music consortium steering group implementing recommendations of 2022 Power of Music report. Major music therapy organization contributing to dementia care initiatives.
• Music for DementiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Power of Music consortium steering group. Provides guidance and resources on using music to support people living with dementia and their carers.
• Macmillan Cancer SupportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMacmillan Community Cancer Link Worker Service connecting cancer patients to social prescribing support. Partnership example of integrating social prescribing into specific condition pathways.
• Heritage and Social Prescribing Community of PracticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity of Practice bringing together heritage professionals and social prescribing practitioners. Social Prescribing Link Workers Advisory Group provides input on heritage connections. Funded by Historic England.
• Barts Health NHS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-published Secondary Care Prevention Toolkit with Transformation Partners for embedding non-clinical preventative approaches in specialist or acute pathways. Example of hospital integration of social prescribing.
• Transformation PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on secondary care prevention toolkit development. Supports embedding social prescribing in NHS secondary care pathways and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams.
• English National Opera (ENO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENO Breathe programme supporting people with Long Covid through breathing and singing techniques. Example of arts-based social prescribing intervention for specific condition.
• UK ActivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization working to get more people active. Partnership with NASP to connect sport and physical activity providers to health system.
• National Centre for Creative HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner providing guidance and resources for creative health approaches. Can connect arts organizations to social prescribing pathways.
• Money and Pensions ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on advice and information social prescribing. Working together to help more people take first step toward financial wellbeing. Partnership Coordination Manager provides quote endorsing social prescribing approach.
• Citizens AdvicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral destination for advice and information social prescribing. Help with everything from housing and immigration to legal problems. Key partner in connecting people to practical support.
• ChurchWorks NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngages multiple denominations across England building partnerships with social prescribing teams, using church buildings and volunteer bases to support community health. Report with Theos think tank on integrating faith organizations with health services.
• Yusuf Patel (Faith and Social Prescribing Lead)coreOthersAppointed as NASP's Faith and Social Prescribing Lead to drive forward work on faith and social prescribing partnerships. Working with wide range of faith groups to improve links between NHS and faith organisations.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Locality: UK membership body supporting community organisations and social enterprises — the same VCFSE universe NASP connects to the NHS; directly comparable as a national intermediary with similar training, evidence, and convening functions.
• Royal Society for Public Health: UK-wide charity that trains and convenes practitioners around public-health interventions including social prescribing; directly comparable as a national, membership-style body with training programmes and policy influence on preventive health.
• National Centre for Creative Health: Identified as a NASP 'national partner' providing guidance and resources for creative health approaches; operates a similar UK convening role between arts/culture organisations and the health system, making it the closest peer on mission and structure.

Emerging players

• Nesta: UK innovation foundation running programmes on health and prevention, including work on social prescribing innovation; comparable on funding models and a systems-change mission, but operating across many sectors rather than social prescribing specifically.

Broad incumbents

• The Health Foundation: Independent UK charity funding research and policy on health care improvement, including prevention and inequalities; peer on the convening/evidence-building axis but at significantly larger scale and broader thematic scope.
• NHS Confederation: Membership body representing the whole NHS system; comparable as a convening and policy-influence organisation spanning primary, secondary, and integrated care, with stronger formal authority but less condition-specific programmatic depth.
• The King's Fund: Major independent health think tank in England working on NHS policy, integrated care, and prevention; comparable in mission to influence health-system design but with broader scope across all NHS policy areas rather than social prescribing specifically.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: NASP's named partner running the Macmillan Community Cancer Link Worker Service; a much larger UK health charity operating its own social-prescribing-style programmes within a single condition area, illustrating the funding and scale gap NASP faces.
• British Red Cross: Major UK charity that already operates social-prescribing adjacent services including hospital discharge support and community connector programmes; directly competes for the same grant and contract opportunities in non-clinical support.
• Mind: UK mental health charity delivering frontline services and policy advocacy with NHS interface; comparable on charity scale and NHS partnership model, with significant overlap where NASP's social prescribing addresses mental-health-related social needs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NASPTweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC10lLpLnbz6Y9IdwBkpL-Yw
• Facebookm.facebook.com/National-Academy-for-Social-Prescribing-102547118555247
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-academy-for-social-prescribing
• Instagraminstagram.com/nasp_insta/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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