A £5.77 million cross-governmental funded project has shown that expanding access to Green Social Prescribing can promote wellbeing and improve mental health.
Green Social Prescribing, or supporting people to engage in nature-based activities, can promote wellbeing and improve mental health, a £5.77 million cross-government funded project has shown.
Research led by the University of Sheffield – in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, University of Exeter and University of Plymouth been published in a report for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), on their findings into efforts to increase access to Green Social Prescribing, and its effectiveness in tackling and preventing mental ill health.
Green Social Prescribing is the practice of supporting people with mental health needs to engage in nature-based activities. Referrals will typically come from GPs, community mental health teams, or social workers, but people can also self-refer. Social Prescribing Link Workers, and other trusted professionals, then connect people to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support.
There are many different types of nature-based activities and therapies, including conservation, horticulture and gardening, care farming, exercise and sports, or talking therapies outdoors.
Dr Annette Haywood, Principal Investigator and Head of Public Health Section at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, said: “Nature is a great medicine and our research demonstrates that harnessing the power of nature through Green Social Prescribing is not only beneficial for mental and physical health, but also a cost-effective tool. Sheffield, is known fondly as the outdoor city, and it was incredibly rewarding to lead this collaboration in a city as committed to green spaces and wellbeing as Sheffield.”
Professor Chris Dayson, from the Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “Our findings demonstrate how Green Social Prescribing can support people with their mental health. Most nature-based activities are provided by small locally based voluntary organisations and community groups and this study highlights how concerns about their sustainability present a barrier to further progress”.
If Green Social Prescribing is to continue to be successful, further investment is now required by the health system to support these organisations, their staff and volunteers to grow and develop.”
In total, 8,339 people with mental health needs took part in nature-based activities at seven Green Social Prescribing Project ‘Test and Learn’ pilots across England. Compared to many other social prescribing initiatives the project reached a broader range of people, including children and young people aged under 18, ethnic minority populations (21 percent), and people from socio-economically deprived areas (57 percent).
Prior to accessing nature-based activities participants’ happiness, anxiety, life satisfaction, and feeling that their life was worthwhile was worse than the national average. After taking part in the project, wellbeing had improved, and typically happiness and anxiety was in line with the national average. Levels of life satisfaction and feeling that life was worthwhile had also improved significantly.
Participants in Green Social Prescribing said:
“After the group I feel joyful, happy, calm. I have a sense of achievement and I feel my wellbeing is increasing. I look forward to attending.”
“It works better than medication for me. It works better than CBT for me. Most of my stuff is related to trauma, so NICE guidelines don’t recommend medication for borderline personality disorder. I have my counselling and that is really valuable, but this is on a par with that.”
