Newham residents will soon receive prescriptions for fresh fruit and vegetables through a new NHS trial supported by Newham Council. Patients with specific health conditions will receive Rose Vouchers that allow them to buy healthy food as part of their treatment.
A Model Proven to Improve Health
The launch in Newham builds on strong evidence from a similar programme in Tower Hamlets. There, our model delivered measurable and sustained improvements:
- A 15% reduction in self-reported GP visits
- Better physical health for eight in ten participants
- Improved mental health for 54% of participants
- A rise in the number of people meeting their five-a-day target, from 32% to 78%
- A sharp drop in meal skipping, from 80% to 30% in nine months
Together, these outcomes show that food-based social prescribing can ease pressure on NHS services, improve quality of life and strengthen local economies by directing spending to independent traders.
Why Newham Needs This Programme
A typical family in Newham currently needs to spend between 50% and 74% of weekly income to follow national healthy eating guidance. To address this challenge, 92 residents with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, and who are also on universal credit, living on low incomes, unemployed, or referred to a food bank, will join the pilot.
How the Scheme Works
Participants will receive £6 a week plus £2 for each extra household member. They can use the vouchers at participating greengrocers in Queens Market on Green Street and in East Ham. In addition, patients will collect their Rose Vouchers from local libraries in Green Street, East Ham, and Plaistow. These libraries will also host monthly workshops on healthy eating, diabetes management, and money and debt advice, helping participants stay engaged throughout the programme.
Local Leaders Welcome the Trial
Rita Chadha, Newham Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, welcomed the launch. She noted that:
“The ongoing cost of living crisis is seeing the price of foods like fruit and vegetables rocket in the past four years. People have been priced out of healthy options. That has a terrible effect, not only on worsening health conditions, but causing long-term underlying health problems in healthy people. We don’t want to see people not be able to make a change in their lifestyle and diet because of financial constraints.”
Cllr Chadha also highlighted that the project supports Newham’s 50 Steps to a Healthier Borough by creating a healthier local food environment.
Supporting Health, Dignity and Local Markets
Corin Bell, CEO of Alexandra Rose, explained that:
“Our projects clearly demonstrate that communities want to eat good food, but many people in Newham just don’t have the option available to them. Removing the barriers of affordability and accessibility is the most important thing we can do right now. Our model focuses on health, dignity and choice, and we’re proud to be working with Newham Council to bring the Alexandra Rose model to more people. By giving residents the spending power to buy fresh fruit and veg in their own neighbourhoods, we’re not only supporting better health outcomes but helping to sustain vital local markets.”