Your GP might tell you to join a walking group
You go to the doctor expecting a script for medication. Instead, they suggest you join a local walking group. It sounds unusual, but it's part of a growing movement in Australian healthcare called social prescribing — and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) wants it treated as essential medicine.
The idea is straightforward: loneliness and social isolation are making Australians sick, and pills alone can't fix that. Connecting people with community activities — sport, walking groups, volunteering — can.
What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing is when a GP or health professional connects you with non-medical supports in your community. Rather than (or alongside) a prescription, they might refer you to a Parkrun, a Heart Foundation walking group, a men's shed, or a local fitness class.
It's not a replacement for medical treatment. It fills a gap that medication can't reach — the social side of health. If someone is dealing with chronic pain, mild depression, or just the slow creep of inactivity that comes with retirement or a life change, a weekly walking group might do more than another tablet.
In March 2026, the RACGP called for social prescribing to be recognised as essential healthcare, not just a nice extra. As RACGP spokesperson Dr Kuljit Singh put it: "Social prescribing is not a 'nice to have'. It is a must have if we are to curb the rise of chronic physical, mental and social illness."
Why loneliness is a health problem
One in three Australian adults experiences loneliness or social isolation. Among young people, it's two in five. These aren't just feelings — they carry measurable health consequences.
Research consistently shows that chronic loneliness has a health impact worse than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Globally, it's linked to roughly 870,000 deaths each year. Social determinants — the conditions in which people live, work, and connect — account for 30 to 55 per cent of health outcomes, according to the RACGP.
The tricky part is that loneliness doesn't show up on a blood test. People don't always walk into a clinic and say "I'm lonely." They say they're tired, anxious, or in pain. Social prescribing gives GPs a way to address what's underneath.
What it looks like in practice
Social prescribing isn't one programme. It's a framework that connects health services with whatever already exists in the community. In Australia, that might look like:
- Parkrun — Free, weekly 5-kilometre events at over 450 locations across Australia. You can walk, jog, run, volunteer, or just turn up for the coffee afterwards. Through the Parkrun Practices initiative, Australian GPs can formally refer patients to their local Parkrun.
- Heart Foundation Walking — Community-led walking groups that meet regularly in local parks and neighbourhoods. Free to join, social by design.
- Local sport and fitness groups — From walking groups to lawn bowls clubs and swimming sessions, community sport gives people a reason to show up every week.
- Men's sheds, arts programmes, and volunteering — Not every prescription needs to involve exercise. Social connection itself is the medicine.
On the Gold Coast, the Gold Coast Primary Health Network supports GPs and health professionals to connect patients with local community activities and services. In Adelaide, a primary-care-integrated social prescribing programme is being evaluated for the first time in partnership with councils and volunteers.
Does it actually work?
The evidence is building. An Australian evaluation of social prescribing for injured workers found it was associated with a 27 per cent reduction in weekly health service contacts, including GP visits. People weren't just feeling better — they needed less medical care.
A 2026 feasibility study is also underway examining social prescribing specifically for older Australians, recognising that this group faces some of the highest rates of isolation and has the most to gain from community connection.
Internationally, the UK's National Health Service has embedded social prescribing into primary care since 2019. Over a million people are referred annually to link workers who connect them with community activities. Australia is following a similar path, though it's earlier in the process.
What you can do without a referral
You don't need to wait for your GP to write it on a pad. The whole point of social prescribing is that the activities already exist in your community — the healthcare system is just catching up to recognising their value.
If you've been feeling disconnected, low on energy, or stuck in a routine that doesn't involve other people, here are some starting points:
- Find a local Parkrun — Read our guide to Parkrun and find your nearest event. Walking the full 5 kilometres is completely fine.
- Try a walking group — Search for walking groups near you. Many are free and welcome all fitness levels.
- Join a social sport — Browse activities on KeepActive filtered by your suburb. Pickleball, lawn bowls, and social tennis are popular choices for people starting out.
- Talk to your GP — If you're already seeing a doctor, ask whether they're connected to any social prescribing programmes. Some practices now have dedicated link workers.
The bigger picture
Social prescribing works because it treats people as whole humans, not a collection of symptoms. A walking group tackles inactivity, loneliness, and low mood all at once — without side effects and without a Medicare rebate.
The RACGP is now calling on governments and health system leaders to invest in the infrastructure that makes social prescribing part of routine care. That means better referral pathways, more link workers, and recognition that community connection is a health intervention, not just a feel-good extra.
For now, the prescription is simple: find something active, find some people to do it with, and keep showing up.
