1,000 self help books loaned by Cornwall's libraries on 'prescription'

The most used book was The Worry Cure by Robert Leahy, which had 85 loans as part of the 'Reading Well Books on Prescription' scheme.

Launched in June 2013, the first national Books on Prescription scheme in England has reached around 275,000 people with book-based therapy for common mental health conditions available from public libraries.

Recent figures indicate there are around eight million people in England suffering from anxiety or depression alone, and three quarters of this group may not be receiving treatment. 

GPs and health professionals can prescribe books, but they are also available for anyone to borrow from their local library. Whilst there are around 7,000 prescribers using the scheme, 80 per cent of people who borrowed a book had self-referred by picking up a leaflet, often in their local library.  

 Jim McKenna, Cornwall Council cabinet member for health and adult care, said: “We are very pleased that this service is so well used. Outlook South West recommended further titles that they find useful so in Cornwall we are able to offer more books as Books on Prescription than those on the national list. The Health Promotion Team helped us tremendously by promoting this to GP surgeries and sending out posters and leaflets. This was a really good example of different public bodies and community organisations working together to promote health and well-being in the county.”

Following the success of Reading Well Books on Prescription for common mental health conditions, a new dementia scheme will be launched in libraries in January 2015.

Merryn Kent, reader services officer said, “We want all our libraries to be 'Dementia Friendly' and believe this is a good way for us to support people. We are off to a good start as last year NHS Kernow donated copies of Dr Mike Bender’s handbook You’re Worried You Might Have Alzheimer’s to the libraries. This is already available as one of our Books on Prescription.”