2026 IHPE Events
Masterclass Series 2026
Social prescribing services: what works, for whom, and in what ways?
In this Masterclass we will discuss social prescribing in the UK from initial systematisation through implementation and impact to more recent developments in specific cohorts and activities. We will consider the ways in which programmes might contribute to prevention and health promotion as well as being used as treatment and recovery options at different stages in individuals’ health trajectories. The session will begin by setting out exactly what social prescribing ‘is’, and the blurred boundaries around each of the constituent parts of pathways. This will include an explanation of who delivers and funds social prescribing, and the contexts in which it is conducted. We will then consider the roll out in the UK; the reach, scale, and impact of the central investment made. Next, the session will outline how approaches have ‘fractured’ along cohort and activity lines and how these often weave in more concrete prevention and public health aims. Here, the session will dive into the detail of two examples – children and young people, and ‘green’ social prescriptions. Lastly, we will think about how social prescribing and things that look like it will develop into the future and consider how we can contribute to and learn from developments globally.
Kerryn Husk is a Professor of Health Services Research in the Faculty of Health and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South West Peninsula, University of Plymouth. He is an expert in social prescribing, leading a research programme around evidencing and developing non-NHS delivered interventions. He has managed various social prescribing projects in the UK and internationally on the implementation, roll-out, scaling, impact and roles for social prescribing, funded by UKRI, NIHR, EU-Horizon and others. He led the creation of the Academic Collaborative for the National Academy for Social Prescribing and has conducted extensive policy-focused work for Government Departments including DHSC and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Tues 12th May 10:00-11:00 (BST)
Masterclass Series 2026
Online peer support for people living with long term conditions
This masterclass will examine the role of online peer support in promoting health, wellbeing, and self-management among people living with long-term conditions, and its growing relevance for public health and health promotion. Drawing on Professor Neil Coulson’s programme of research, the session will explore how digital peer support complements traditional health services by extending reach, increasing accessibility, and supporting sustained engagement beyond clinical settings. The session will begin by positioning online peer support within contemporary public health and health promotion frameworks, highlighting its alignment with principles of empowerment, participation, and community-based action. Theoretical perspectives from health psychology and social science will be used to explain how peer-to-peer interaction influences health behaviours, coping, and identity, particularly in the context of chronic illness. Professor Coulson will then present key empirical findings from studies of online health communities across conditions such as dementia, cancer, respiratory disease, and mental health. These findings demonstrate how online peer support facilitates emotional support, experiential knowledge exchange, and a sense of belonging, while also raising important questions about sustainability, moderation, and digital inclusion. The masterclass will consider practical implications for public health practice, including how online peer support can function as a scalable, low-cost health promotion resource, how it can be integrated with existing services, and how it may help address health inequalities. The session will conclude by outlining future research, evaluation, and policy priorities to support the effective, ethical, and evidence-informed use of online peer support in public health and health promotion initiatives.
Professor Neil Coulson is Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Nottingham, where he leads a programme of research examining how digital technologies and peer support are used to manage health and long-term conditions. His work focuses on technology-mediated environments such as online health communities and social media, with particular attention to how patients, carers, and moderators experience, deliver, and sustain support in these spaces. A core theme of Professor Coulson’s research programme is the psychosocial processes that underpin engagement, identity, support exchange, and relationship formation in online peer support communities. He has conducted research across a wide range of health contexts, including dementia, cancer, respiratory conditions, and mental health, employing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. His work is characterised by a strong emphasis on lived experience, methodological rigour, and ethical engagement with online and digital data. Professor Coulson has published extensively in high-impact journals and has a strong track record of securing competitive research funding. He works closely with interdisciplinary academic teams, clinicians, third-sector organisations, and patient and public contributors. Through his research programme at the University of Nottingham, Professor Coulson aims to generate theory-driven, applied insights that inform policy and practice and support the design and evaluation of digital interventions that improve wellbeing and quality of life for people affected by long-term conditions.