The Porto Metropolitan Area (AMP) participated in the Seminar ‘Prescription of Health and Well-being at ULS Entre Douro e Vouga’, a local health unit, held yesterday, 14 January, at ISVOUGA, in Santa Maria da Feira. The aim of this meeting was to present the results of the ‘Prescription for Health and Well-being’ project, an innovative initiative that integrates the small social innovation projects of the AMP, developed under Axis II of the Action Plan for the Disadvantaged Communities (PACD) and the RRP.

The project, developed by ULS EDV in partnership with the municipalities of Arouca, Oliveira de Azeméis, S. João da Madeira, Santa Maria da Feira and Vale de Cambra, aims to implement a non-pharmacological prescribing practice through the SClinical system, allowing doctors to recommend community activities that promote health and well-being. To this end, an electronic platform is being developed that will act as a database of municipal projects and that will later be integrated into the Sclinical.

At the opening session, the Chief Executive Officer of the AMP, Agostinho Branquinho, highlighted the importance of collaboration between health and local authorities to improve the quality of life of populations and stressed that this project is an example of social innovation applied to health, reinforcing the integration between public services and community resources.

Cristina Magalhães, senior officer of the Support Technical Department and member of the team responsible for the implementation of the RRP in the AMP, moderated the panel dedicated to national and international good practices of social prescription. This panel featured Portuguese and British experts, who shared experiences and strategies to promote healthy lifestyles and fight social isolation.

This project contributes to promoting healthy lifestyles, reducing isolation and strengthening health-community integration, aligning with the strategic objectives of the PACD-AMP and the RRP.