Green Social Prescribing
Category: Green Social Prescribing
Title: Upscaling Green Social Prescribing and Urban Agriculture in Cities: Reflections on Social and Horticultural Therapy in the United Kingdom, The Professional Geographer (2024)
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00330124.2023.2286591
Summary: Post-COVID policymaking has accelerated investment and support for urban greening initiatives. Even prior to the pandemic, we witnessed across the globe an ever-increasing appetite for the idea of bringing nature into the city through parks, allotments, urban farms, and other green assets. Indeed, the latter in particular has seen perhaps the largest growth in support, with urban agriculture (UA) continuing to be mainstreamed on an international level. This article reflects on Urban Agriculture in the United Kingdom, with an explicit focus on the concept’s relationship with green social prescribing (GSP). We reflect on geographers’ work in this area, before highlighting practice on the ground and demonstrating the increased impact of UA schemes that adopt this practice. In doing so, we hope that this article influences key actors to be aware of these opportunities and challenges, alongside influencing more geographers to engage with the growing field of GSP.
Category: Green Social Prescribing
Title: Test and Learn’ Programme Final Report – April 2023, Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (2023)
Summary: Between April 2021 and March 2023, the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has been a ‘test and learn’ site for green social prescribing (GSP), one of only seven such sites across England. With funding and support from the Department of Health and Social Care; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Natural England; NHS England; Sport England; Office of Health Improvement and Disparities; and the National Academy of Social Prescribing, the ‘test and learn’ programme sought to explore:
What is required to scale up GSP at a local system level and the steps needed to increase patient referrals to nature-based activities.
With a key focus on:
• Improving mental health outcomes
• Reducing health inequalities
• Reducing demand on the health and social care system
• Developing best practice in making GSP more resilient and accessible
Category: Qualitative, Green social prescribing
Title: A Qualitative Study of the Barriers to Commissioning Social and Therapeutic Horticulture in Mental Health Care (2024)
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-024-18621-8
Summary: This study aimed to identify the obsticales to including social and therapeutic horticulture in mental health services. Professionals interviewed were involved in mental health comissioning across the UK and linked to the Therapeutic Horticulture Stakeholder Group (THSG) chaired by the UK charity Thrive. The main barriers identified were a lack of awareness and evidence about STH’s benefits, and a preference for traditional medical treatments. Additionally, STH providers face difficulties meeting the demands of large-scale health service contracts.
Category: Qualitative, Children and Young Adults, Green Prescribing
Title: Exploring the Perspectives of ‘Young Adults’ (18–24) Who Have Been in Formal Care and Their Experiences of Attending a Socially Prescribed Community Allotment Gardening Group (2022)
Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03080226221117447
Summary: “When I am outside, I feel my mind is clearer, [erm] I feel happier it was a world that I could escape to. [Erm] I think I would describe the allotment as a peaceful, calming and relaxing place to be.” This study explored the experiences of young adult care leavers in a community gardening group in the UK. Six participants, aged 18 to 24, were interviewed online about their experiences. The study found that the gardening group provided social belonging, a safe space, a sense of achievement, and benefits from being in nature, enhancing their social connections, self-identity, and well-being.