New trial scheme to improve people's health

They say laughter is the best medicine… now patients are set to get comedy gigs on prescription.

A scheme offering comedy to improve people's mental health and reduce NHS costs is being trialled in a bid to reduce dependence on antidepressants.

Craic Health has secured funding for a pilot ‘social prescription’ scheme which uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely and vulnerable.

The work is being supported by Stroud's Labour MP Dr Simon Opher, pictured, who is also a GP and often prescribes activities for his patients.

He said in Parliament: ’Comedy and laughter have powerful effects: they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.

‘I've particularly specialised in using the arts to make people better so that could be poetry, visual arts or sometimes even drama, and I've also used things like gardening, I've prescribed allotments to people and that sort of thing. But this is the first time that we've tried comedy and that's what's exciting about this.’

Craic has started trialling its ‘Comedy-on-Prescription’ events in  Westminster and its next event is a free comedy walking tour around Soho, led by comic David Whitney, and ending with show at the Top Secret Comedy Club

Last month, Dr Opher and the Lord Mayor of Westminster went a Comedy-on-Prescription event at St John’s Wood Library, in North London. Afterwards, he said: ‘Making people laugh can avoid the need for medication. We need to look at those things much more seriously and get people off tablets.’

A review commissioned by  NHS England looking into social prescribing concluded: ‘A large body of evidence shows that taking part in creative and expressive activities, including through social prescribing, can lead to a wide range of benefits including increased social interaction, decreased stress, adoption of healthy behaviours, and improved outcomes such as skills and employment.’

Craic’s website lists plenty of research about the health benefits of laughter and says: ‘In this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers. Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects: they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.’

The organisation has received a grant from the One Westminster charity to help with its work.

A total of 8.7 million people in England took antidepressants last year, according to NHS figures.

Published: 20 Feb 2025