Pathways Advice Service

Are you currently experiencing practical, financial, or social issues? Is this affecting your health and wellbeing?

Our Pathways Advisors can signpost or refer you to appropriate Mersey Care or partner services, to support your specific needs. This is what we call 'social prescribing' - it's like getting a prescription from a GP if you are unwell, but instead we 'prescribe' or refer you to expert services that can support you with mental and physical wellbeing, and social factors like housing issues, training opportunities, or financial difficulties.

So how can a Pathways Advisor help?

It's common for people to need support in a few different areas. One issue can have a knock on effect, and this can then effect your health and wellbeing. Having to find support for different things, or make multiple phone calls, can be offputting. Pathways Advisors can help to streamline this - after a chat with you, we can refer you directly to services that can help.

Sometimes there will be services at The Life Rooms that we can refer you to, like our Learning sessions or our Health and Wellbeing Coaches. If we are unable to provide the support ourselves, we can put you in touch with partners who specialise in providing practical support.

A Pathways Advisor might refer you to support for:

• Mental wellbeing - for example, referrals to counselling services, clinical assessment, and wellbeing information groups.
• Physical wellbeing - for example, referrals into diet and exercise support services, health condition specific-support groups, smoking cessation, and substance misuse services.
• Social activities and support networks - for example, referrals/signposting to common interest/social groups, families and older person’s activities, and befriending services.
• Family/caring roles - for example, referrals for carer’s assessments, early help pre-assessments, occupational therapy, needs assessments, and family/parent support.
• Financial difficulties - for example, referrals for support with food, energy, debt and benefits advice, grants, white goods, and furnishing.
• Housing issues - for example, referrals for support with homelessness, housing rights, repairs, home adaptations, and general housing support.
• Employment and volunteering - f​​or example, referrals for support with CV/application forms, interviews, self-employment, career change, employee rights, and health and disability support at work.
• Training and learning - for example, referrals/signposting to employability programmes and certifications, vocational learning, and adult learning opportunities.

What can the Pathways Advice Service provide?

• Hope.
• Confidential appointment.*

• Flexibility – appointments can be provided on a drop-in basis, however these can be pre-booked in certain circumstances.

• Signposting support to prevent issues getting worse (prevention).

• Help you prioritise the issues that matter most to you.

• Help you take control of your health and social care decisions.

* Please note, we are duty-bound to report any safeguarding concerns affecting vulnerable adults and children.

What is the Pathways Advice Service not able to provide?

• We are unable to help you with filling out forms or applications for housing or benefits but can link you to specialist services for this support.
• As we are a non-clinical service, we are unable to provide therapy or counselling or diagnostic decisions of psychological or medical matters.
• As we do not carry caseloads or manage risk, we are unable to provide long-term support – however, you are welcome to return to the service at any time for another appointment. Follow up appointments are available if your situation changes and/or the help provided requires further intervention/support.
• We do not offer legal advice.
• We are unable to recommend private services for healthcare or finance.