Welzijn op Recept

What Welzijn op Recept does

Welzijn op Recept (translated: 'Wellbeing on Prescription') is a Dutch non-profit national knowledge network that operates the country's leading social prescribing methodology. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Nieuwegein/Utrecht, the organization connects primary healthcare providers, most commonly general practitioners (GPs) and practice support staff (POH-GGZ), with municipal welfare coaches. When patients present with psychosocial complaints such as loneliness, stress, or social isolation for which no medical cause is identified, GPs refer them to a wellbeing coach who co-creates a personalized pathway into social activities, volunteer work, or community engagement, reducing unnecessary medicalization and medication.

The core 'product' is not a software platform but a codified methodology, the Essential Components (Essentiële Bestanddelen) framework, a 7-step implementation guide, learning communities, training and workshops, and a body of published knowledge including three books and a professional handbook distributed via BSL (Wolters Kluwer). The organization coordinates implementation across 175-225+ Dutch municipalities and partners with 14 regional support structures (ROS), the Global Social Prescribing Alliance, the WHO, and the National Academy of Social Prescribing.

Revenue mechanics are diffuse: the network is primarily funded by public-sector mission support from the Ministry of Health (VWS), municipalities, and health insurers (e.g., DSW), with modest direct commercial revenue from book sales (€6.50-€39.95), training, workshops, and knowledge network advisory services. The organization employs approximately 9 staff and is led by director Jan Joost Meijs and coordinator Miriam Heijnders, with an explicit strategic target to make Welzijn op Recept available to 80% of Dutch GPs by 2025.

Name

Welzijn op Recept

Legal name

Welzijn op Recept

Website

https://welzijnoprecept.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Welzijn op Recept is a Dutch non-profit national knowledge network that enables GPs to refer patients with psychosocial complaints to municipal welfare coaches for non-medical support, operating across 225+ Dutch municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Sale of educational books and handbooks about Welzijn op Recept implementation, including 'Pareltjes van Welzijn op Recept' (€6.50), 'De uitdaging van samenwerken' (€9.50), and 'Handboek Welzijn op Recept' (€39.95)
2. Training and Workshops: Professional training programs and workshops for healthcare providers, wellbeing coaches, and municipalities on implementing Welzijn op Recept
3. Knowledge Network Membership: Network support and advisory services for municipalities and healthcare organizations implementing the program

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Welzijn op Recept operates a national knowledge network (Landelijk Kennisnetwerk) that supports and advises GPs, primary care providers, welfare workers, social workers, policy officials, and Dutch municipalities on implementing social prescribing. GPs refer patients with psychosocial complaints to wellbeing coaches who connect them to social activities, volunteer work, and community engagement instead of medication. The network provides training, workshops, implementation guides, conferences, learning communities, and published handbooks.

Product overview

Welzijn op Recept operates as a national knowledge network that supports and advises healthcare providers, welfare workers, social professionals, policy officials, and municipalities on implementing the Welzijn op Recept (Social Prescribing) methodology. The organization does not offer a software platform but provides publications including three books: the practical stories collection 'Pareltjes van Welzijn op Recept', the collaboration guidebook, and the comprehensive handbook published by BSL. The network also offers training programs, workshops, regional meetings, and a 'Programma van Doorpakkers' for ongoing support. Welzijn op Recept functions as a coordination and knowledge-sharing organization rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Training and Workshops Professional training programs and workshops for healthcare providers, wellbeing coaches, and municipalities on implementing the Welzijn op Recept methodology.
• Landelijk Kennisnetwerk (National Knowledge Network) National knowledge network providing advisory, implementation support, and coordination services for municipalities and healthcare organizations implementing social prescribing.
• Programma van Doorpakkers (Learning Community) Community of practice program where professionals from municipalities and healthcare organizations share experiences, experiment, and jointly determine quality standards for social prescribing implementation.
• Handboek Welzijn op Recept Comprehensive professional handbook covering the methodology, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and financing of Welzijn op Recept. Published by BSL (Wolters Kluwer). Price: €39.95.
• Welzijn op Recept – de uitdaging van samenwerking tussen zorg en welzijn Guidebook focusing on the challenges of collaboration between primary care professionals, the welfare/social domain, and municipalities. Price: €9.50.
• Pareltjes van Welzijn op Recept Collection of practical stories and experiences from professionals and clients involved in Welzijn op Recept, with interviews from national partners and a foreword by State Secretary Paul Blokhuis. Price: €6.50.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-10% savings in healthcare costs through reduced medical consumption
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Social Prescribing AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023The national network is part of the Global Social Prescribing Alliance, which co-produced the report 'Social Prescribing Around the World' with WHO and National Academy of Social Prescribing, covering implementation in 24 countries.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Collaborated on the 'Social Prescribing Around the World' report documenting implementation across 24 countries, establishing international standards and best practices.
• National Academy of Social PrescribingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023International partner in producing the global report on social prescribing implementation, sharing research and best practices across countries.
• ROS-netwerk (Regionale Ondersteuningsstructuren)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2022The national network signed a cooperation agreement with the ROS network of 14 regional support structures. The goal is to connect primary healthcare and welfare on a larger scale through Welzijn op Recept, so that more patients with psychosocial complaints can receive appropriate help. ROS organizations support implementation by connecting with local GPs, POHs, physiotherapists, pharmacists and other primary care providers.
• Prins Charles (International Social Prescribing Network)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2019Dutch delegation of the national network participated in the International Network Conference on Social Prescribing and met Prince Charles, who is an ambassador for social prescribing. Key lesson learned: hard data is needed to monitor impact.
• Zes koploper-gemeenten (6 leading municipalities)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2018Six municipalities (Amsterdam, Den Haag, Lelystad, Schiedam, Houten, and Nieuwegein) are working together with the national network on the development of Welzijn op Recept 2.0, serving as learning examples for other municipalities.
• NHS England / UK Social PrescribingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2018Learning from UK experience with social prescribing, where Dr. Michael Dixon advocates for the approach. Sharing research findings and comparing implementation approaches between Netherlands and UK.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Elemental Software: Digital social prescribing platform connecting primary care to community services in the UK and Ireland. Comparable as a technology-enabled enabler of the same referral pathway Welzijn op Recept coordinates manually; represents a potential digital-native competitive threat.
• Arts on Prescription Alliance: UK initiative promoting arts-based social prescribing pathways. Comparable as a thematic variant — focuses on one specific activity type (arts) within the broader social prescribing model Welzijn op Recept supports in general.
• Well-Linked: UK platform enabling social prescribing referrals and tracking outcomes for primary care. Comparable technology layer competing for the same workflow that Welzijn op Recept currently supports through training and 7-step implementation guides.

Others

• Vilans: Dutch national knowledge organization for long-term care and welfare innovation. Comparable as a Dutch knowledge-network peer in adjacent health/welfare domains; not a direct social prescribing operator but a likely partner and ecosystem peer.
• Community Catalysts: UK social enterprise supporting micro-enterprises and community-led wellbeing services that often serve as social prescribing destinations. Comparable ecosystem enabler at the receiving end of the same referral pathway.

Broad incumbents

• NHS England (Social Prescribing Programme): Operates the UK's national social prescribing programme within a much larger public healthcare system. Comparable as a national payer-driven social prescribing initiative, but operates at vastly greater scale and as part of a broader NHS personalised care portfolio rather than a standalone knowledge network.

Direct peers

• Social Prescribing Network: UK-founded international network of practitioners and researchers advancing social prescribing. Closely comparable mission, community-of-practice model, and conference/training offerings; shares WHO-affiliated research pipelines with Welzijn op Recept.
• Global Social Prescribing Alliance: International umbrella co-producing the 'Social Prescribing Around the World' report with WHO. Comparable as a coordinating knowledge body operating across multiple countries; also an explicit strategic partner of Welzijn op Recept.
• National Academy for Social Prescribing: UK national body that supports social prescribing implementation, training, and evidence building. Direct functional equivalent to the Landelijk kennisnetwerk — same national coordination role, same stakeholder set (GPs, link workers, municipalities), and active partner within the Global Social Prescribing Alliance.

Regional players

• Scottish Social Prescribing Network: National network coordinating social prescribing across Scotland with similar training, knowledge-sharing, and community-of-practice functions. Same model, different geography; does not directly compete in the Dutch market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/welzijn-op-recept
• Facebookfacebook.com/WelzijnRecept

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Welzijn op Recept