Fruit & Veg On Prescription Cuts GP Visits And Boosts Patient Health

A groundbreaking scheme trialled in the UK has revealed that prescribing fruit and vegetables to patients can significantly improve their health and reduce demand on GP services.

Alexandra Rose Charity is working in partnership with Tower Hamlets Council and the Bromley By Bow Centre to provide families on low incomes with access to fresh fruit and vegetables. The charity has been supporting communities to eat better since its 2014 ‘Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg’ project and, more recently, its two ‘Fruit & Veg on Prescription’ projects.

The initiative ran as a pilot project in Tower Hamlets, London, targeting residents living with or at risk of long-term health conditions and experiencing food insecurity. Participants received weekly £8 vouchers to spend on fresh produce, along with support through healthy cooking classes and social prescribing.

According to a new report published by Sustain, the food and farming alliance behind the project, patients made 37% fewer visits to GPs after three months on the scheme. The findings also revealed:

• A 33% improvement in mental wellbeing

• Up to 70% of participants reporting improved diets

• An increase in fruit and veg consumption from 2.4 to 4.2 portions per day

• 95% of participants reported feeling more confident in managing their health

The pilot was delivered in partnership with Bromley by Bow Centre and Medact, with input from local GPs and community health organisations. As part of the programme, patients were not only given financial help but also educational tools, such as group cooking sessions and nutrition workshops, to promote longer-term health changes.

“When I got the Rose Vouchers for fruit and veg, I thought, 'Brilliant, I don't have to worry about food – at least I can still eat'. It was lifesaving for me,” said Aggie, a participant from Tower Hamlets.

“The food choices I'm making now are forever. Before I started receiving Rose Vouchers, I was feeling awful – I’d found out I had Type 2 Diabetes and high cholesterol. It's been a complete lifestyle change; I could never go back.” Aggie

Dr Jennifer Walmsley, practising GP at Kingthorne Group Practice, said: “I’m a huge advocate for the work that Alexandra Rose Charity is doing. Diet is key and Rose Vouchers make eating healthier food much more accessible.

"As GPs, we spend a significant amount of time dealing with the effects of poor diet and nutrition – I’d say more than anything else, in fact – because the majority of chronic diseases stem from those issues. Any steps we can take to improve diets and reverse those consequences are hugely beneficial.

"Not only does it enhance individual health and wellbeing, but it also helps ease pressure on the NHS, allowing GPs to focus on areas of care that aren’t preventable.”