Project 838 | COPE-UK

Connecting Primary Care with Community Faith Organisations: Developing a Pathway for Holistic Mental Health (COPE-UK Study)

Many people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression seek help from their GP. For some people – especially those from a minoritised ethnic, and religious communities, standard NHS mental health services may not always feel accessible and given religious/spiritual beliefs they might hold. For many individuals from South Asian, Black African, Black Caribbean, and other faith communities, faith and spirituality play a central role in wellbeing and coping, and if an individual feels they are unable to draw upon these faith based resources as part of their mental health support, they may be less likely to reach out for support.

GPs and link workers can refer patients to community organisations (which include faith based organisations) for non-medical aspects of their health. Faith organisations are often among the most trusted community groups in many areas — yet there is currently no clear guidance for GPs and link workers on how to raise the subject of faith, decide whether referring someone to a faith organisation is the right thing to do, and deciding which organisation to refer to.

The COPE-UK study will address this gap over 18 months through three stages: reviewing existing research on how faith and community support is integrated safely into primary care mental health pathways; visiting and learning from four community-based faith organisations that support mental health and well-being to understand how they work and who they support. In addition, the study will bring together GPs, link workers, faith community representatives, and people with lived experience to co-produce a practical referral pathway for NHS primary care.

The study will produce a published evidence review, a practical referral guide, training for GPs and link workers, and recommendations for further work in this area. Findings will be shared through national networks including the National Academy for Social Prescribing. Ultimately this research aims to ensure that no patient misses out on support that could make a real difference to their mental health simply because their GP or link worker didn’t know how to have that conversation.