Poole Book Prescription Scheme
Overview of the scheme
The Poole Book Prescription Scheme is a new initiative to help people living in Poole who are currently experiencing some level of emotional difficulty. It gives people easy access through their libraries and GP surgeries to good self-help material to help them through their current difficulties. It forms part of Poole Primary Care Trust's approach to dealing with mental health issues in providing the right level of support at the right time. The implementation of this scheme has been possible through the close collaboration of Dorset HealthCare NHS Trust 
, Poole Primary Care Trust , Poole Social Services and Poole Libraries.
Emotional problems are very common
Many people - perhaps even the majority - develop emotional or psychological problems at some time during their life. At any one time, for example, about 10% of adults are feeling somewhat depressed. Others feel anxious about leaving the house, or about meeting people, or have worries that just seem to go on and on.
Some experience panic attacks that can be very frightening and unpredictable, while others realise that their tidiness around the house is becoming obsessional. Some people are highly stressed by work or family life, while others are haunted by abuse that happened in childhood. And many people just don't feel good about themselves. Their self-esteem is low, they lack confidence and feel useless and unlovable.
GPs can offer help for emotional problems
Many people consult their GP for help with their emotional difficulties, and GPs can help in several ways. They might refer the person to a counsellor, for example, or to specialist mental health services where psychologists, psychiatrists and others are able to provide treatment. However, the availability of these specialist resources is limited. More often, the GP will offer advice, prescribe medication to relieve such symptoms as anxiety or depression, or recommend contact with a local voluntary agency.
How books can help
Medication has an important role in helping people with emotional problems, and is often very effective. However, people can also be helped by reading appropriate 'self-help' material. Many self-help books have been shown to be very useful in helping people to overcome a range of psychological problems. The use of books as a means of providing psychological therapy is known as 'bibliotherapy'.
Prescribing the books
A 'book prescription' scheme, introduced in Poole in 2005, allows highly selected self-help books to be prescribed by GPs and others. Once issued, the prescription can be exchanged for the book at any Poole Library. The scheme extends to every GP surgery in Poole.
Many thousands of self-help books are available, and while the best of these are highly effective, others are not so useful. In 2003, Cardiff and the Vale Trust compiled a list of books highly recommended by their clinicians and launched the Cardiff Book Prescription Scheme. It is with grateful thanks to them and, in particular, to Neil Frude, that we are launching a similar scheme in Poole.
Stocks of all the books on the list have been placed in Poole Central Library and in other libraries across the town - you can check current availability on the library catalogue .
How the scheme works
GPs and other professionals (such as psychologists and counsellors) have been sent the list of the self-help books recommended by specialists and invited to issue an appropriate 'Book Prescription' to patients in their care. The prescription allows the patient to borrow the book for the standard library loan period (currently 3 weeks). The patient can extend the borrowing time, if necessary, by requesting a renewal from the library.
Many of the most effective books present self-help versions of the kind of therapy that would be given by a psychologist or counsellor. In many cases they present complete step-by-step treatment programmes with exercises, self-assessments, diary sheets, to be completed by the reader. Of course, those who use a prescribed library book should make their own copy of such exercises and not write on the book.
The scheme includes books on many of the common psychological problems that people experience, including:
- depression
- eating disorders
- obsessional-compulsive problems
- social phobia
- panic
- anger
- stress
- low self-esteem
- the aftermath of sexual abuse.
Some people might wish to buy the prescribed book for themselves, and all of the books on the list are currently in print. Many are normally in stock in local bookstores and through bookstore websites. Any books that are not in stock will be available to order.
The book prescription scheme offers an additional source of help for people experiencing emotional problems. A self-help book can be used in addition to any medication that has been prescribed, or while the patient is waiting to see a counsellor or mental health specialist. Of course, this approach will not be suitable for everyone, and will not always be effective. But there is now good evidence to show that books can (often) help.
If you feel that a book might help you to overcome an emotional problem, consider asking your GP or mental health professional about the Poole Book Prescription Scheme.
Books Available
Anger
W1 Will Davies: Overcoming Anger and Irritability, 2000, Constable & Robinson 1854875957 £ 7.99
W2 Gael Lindenfield: Managing Anger, 2000, HarperCollins 0007100345 £ 7.99
Anorexia Nervosa
W3 Janet Treasure: Breaking Free from Anorexia Nervosa, 1997, Psychology Press 0863777600 £11.95
W4 Christopher Freeman & Peter Cooper: Overcoming Anorexia Nervosa, 2002 Constable &
Robinson 1854879693 £ 7.99
Anxiety
W5 Helen Kennerley: Overcoming Anxiety, 2004, Constable & Robinson 1854874225 £7.99
Assertiveness (Women)
W6 Anne Dickinson: Woman in your own right, 1982, Quartet Books 0704334208 £6.00
Bereavement
W7 Virginia Ironside: You'll Get Over It: Rage of Bereavement 1997 Penguin Books 0140236082 £8.99
Binge-eating disorder and Bulimia Nervosa
W8 Peter Cooper: Bulimia Nervosa & Binge Eating, 1993, Constable & Robinson 1854871714 £7.99
W9 Christopher Fairburn: Overcoming Binge Eating, 1995, Guilford Press 0898621798 £13.50
W10 Ulrike Scmidt and Janet Treasure: Getting Better Bit(e) by Bit(e), 1993, Psychology Press 0863773222 £11.95
Depression
W11 Paul Gilbert: Overcoming Depression, 2000, Constable & Robinson 1841191256 £7.99
W12 Dennis Greenberger and Christine Padesky: Mind Over Mood, 1995, Constable & Robinson 0898621283 £16.95
W13 David Burns: The Feeling Good Handbook, 2000, Constable & Robinson 0452281326 £12.99
Head Injuries
W14 Trevor Powell: Head Injury: A Practical Guide, 2004, Speechmark Publishing 0863884512 £19.95
Health Anxiety
W15 George Zgourides: Stop Worrying About Your Health!, 2002, New Harbinger Publications 157224285X £11.99
Manic Depression
W16 Jan Scott: Overcoming Mood Swings, 2004, Constable & Robinson 1841190179 £7.99
Obsessions & Compulsions
W17 David Veale & Rob Willson: Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, 2004, Constable & Robinson 1841199362 £9.99
W18 Fred Toates & Coschug-Toates, Olga: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, 2002, Class Publishing 1859590691 £14.99
W19 Frank Tallis: Understanding Obsessions & Compulsions, 1992 Sheldon Press 0859696529 £7.99
Panic
W20 Derrick Silove & Vijaya Manicavasagar: Overcoming Panic, 2003, Constable & Robinson 1854877011 £7.99
W21 Christine Ingham: Panic Attacks, 2000, Harper Collins 0007106904 £7.99
PTSD/Trauma
W22 Claudia Herbert & Ann Wetmore: Overcoming Traumatic Stress 2002 Constable & Robinson 1841190160 £7.99
Low Self-Esteem
W23 Melanie Fennell: Overcoming Low Self-Esteem 2004 Constable & Robinson 1854877259 £7.99
W24 David Burns: The Feeling Good Handbook, 2000, Plume Books 0452281326 £12.99
W25 Lynda Field: Self-Esteem for Women, 2001, Vermilion 009187632X £6.99
W26 Gael Lindenfield: Self-Esteem: Simple Steps to Develop Self Reliance and Perseverance 2000 Harper Collins 009187632X £7.99
W27 David Burns: 10 Days to Great Self-Esteem, 2000, Vermilion 0091825628 £9.99
Child Sexual Abuse (Adult Survivors)
W28 Carolyn Ainscough & Kay Toon: Breaking Free: Help for Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, 2000, Sheldon Press 0859698106 £14.99
W29 Ellen Bass & Laura Davies: The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, 2002, Vermilion 0091884209 £12.99
Social Anxiety / Social Phobia
W30 GillianButler: Overcoming Social Anxiety & Shyness, 2003, Constable & Robinson 1854877038 £7.99
Stress
W31 Martha Davis et al: The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook, 2000, New Harbinger 1572242140 £16.99
W32 Terry Looker & Olga Gregson: Managing Stress (Teach Yourself), 2003, Hodder Arnold 0340860073 £8.99
Worry
W33 Frank Tallis: How to Stop Worrying, 1990, Sheldon Press 0859696103 £6.99
Contact Us
The Poole Book Prescription Scheme is a collaborative project. The following agencies were involved in the design, development and implementation of the scheme:
- Dorset HealthCare NHS Trust
- Poole Primary Care Trust
- Borough of Poole Libraries
- Borough of Poole Social Services
For support and advice on the scheme or to order practitioner prescription packs, please contact Louise Naylor or Lydia Smith, Graduate Mental Health Workers, Adult Social Services Commissioning, Borough of Poole, Civic Centre Annex, Park Road, Poole BH15 2RT Tel: 01202 633652
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