80 free patient/community places for 'Comedy on Prescription'
Craic Health has partnered with the City of Westminster, The Passage and Pimlico Library to offer 80 free places to Westminster patients or community across four separate social prescribing comedy workshop series (Comedy-on-Prescription®) running 6 November to 18 December.
Our first Westminster series achieved what the NHS described as a "statistically significant gain in wellbeing", using their validated outcome measures. Each of the new courses has a maximum of 20 participants, so please refer early. More information below.
Who to refer, and how
This is a non-clinical, preventative creative health programme. It does not replace medical or psychological treatment, but can be effective alongside it, or help people as they move on from treatment. Think of the patient who keeps coming back but doesn't need a clinical prescription. Good candidates include people experiencing:
- loneliness or social isolation
- low mood, stress or low confidence
- homelessness or insecure housing
- caring, parenting, or link worker pressures
- bereavement or a big life change
This set of Comedy-on-Prescription® workshop series are not suitable for anyone who is acutely mentally unwell, isn't comfortable in a group setting, or doesn't yet have enough spoken English to understand and participate in most activities.
Four series, two venues, 20 places each
| Women's Group The Passage | Women experiencing or navigating homelessness | Fridays 11:00–13:00 | Nov 6, 13, 20, 27 Dec 4, 11 |
| Mixed Group The Passage | Adults experiencing or navigating homelessness | Fridays 14:00–16:00 | Nov 6, 13, 20, 27 Dec 4, 11 |
| Carers, Parents & Link Workers Pimlico Library | Carers, parents and link workers | Fridays 11:00–13:00 | Nov 13, 20, 27 Dec 4, 11, 18 |
| Adults 50+ Group Pimlico Library | Adults aged 50 and over | Fridays 14:00–16:00 | Nov 13, 20, 27 |
Download information posters here
Referrals
Places go quickly, so please refer early. Complete the short form on the website. Patients can also self-refer.
- The Passage (Women's and Mixed Groups): St Vincent's Centre, Carlisle Place, London SW1P 1NL.
- Pimlico Library (Carers/Parents and 50+ Groups): Lupus Street, London SW1V 3ED.
Note: Our co-leads are Michael Degale (The Passage) and Lucy Telfer and Tony Staples (Pimlico Library), with Carly Smallman (Stand Up and Shine) and Keith Palmer MBE (The Comedy School).
Does it work? The NHS has the numbers
Comedy-on-Prescription is a format of creative health. It's a structured, evidence-led way to use comedy for wellbeing, and we capture NHS-validated outcome measures at every workshop. Sessions can include stand-up, storytelling, improvisation, and writing. No experience is needed, and nobody has to perform.
Our first Westminster series was a six-week Stand Up and Shine programme at The Passage earlier this year, funded by One Westminster via a Westminster Council Culture Microgrant. Participants' wellbeing rose by 15% on an NHS-validated outcome scale: the group started below the UK average and finished above it. Read the full report.
| Wellbeing measure | Change |
|---|---|
| Feeling close to other people | +35% |
| Optimism about the future | +28% |
| Feeling useful | +21% |
"During the workshop series I have had to organise my mum's funeral, make an offer on a flat, and deal with my husband's dementia, so this has been a most welcome and fun diversion. Definitely a powerful tool for well-being; comedy and laughter is extremely undervalued." — Claudia, 77, Stand Up and Shine participant
"It's unbelievable how much it has helped my self-confidence. I have got so much from it and the techniques that they have taught us which has helped me in my everyday life." — Tracy, 42, participant at The Passage
A recent UCL, NHS and Op Courage study of comedy courses for veterans with mental health needs, delivered by The Comedy School, found participants described it as "therapy through play": less draining than one-to-one therapy, with new skills carried into family and working life, and gains in confidence, self-image and emotional regulation. Their circumstances hadn't changed, but their ability to cope with them had.
"This course has been absolutely life-changing. I've become part of a little team of veterans who get together once a week to have a laugh and challenge each other, and I have loved it. Ten years ago I never would have imagined I'd be able to stand up on a stage and perform stand-up comedy, no way. I was too ashamed, too guilty, too depressed." — Troy, 44, Army veteran and The Comedy School participant
Finally, if you'd like to bring Comedy-on-Prescription® to your own patients or community, and have funding available, we can design a series around their needs. Please connect with us if so.
Lu Jackson -Founder | Craic® louisa@craic.lol