Applications to deliver four green social prescribing pilots have now opened. This is part of a £4.27 million project to improve mental health and well-being by linking people to nature based interventions and activities. It will play an important role in the nation’s recovery as we build back greener from the coronavirus pandemic.

The project will examine how to scale-up green social prescribing services in England to help improve mental health outcomes, reduce health inequalities and alleviate demand on the health and social care system. The fund is now officially open for funding applications from potential delivery partners. Expressions of Interest to become a ‘test and learn’ site for this pioneering social prescribing project are welcome from partnerships of local health, care and environment leads.

Social prescribing connects people to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support and to improve health and wellbeing. Evidence including from Natural England shows that the NHS could save over £2 billion in treatment costs if everyone in England had equal access to good quality green space. Green prescribing could include support for walking and cycling groups, green gyms, and practical habitat management conservation tasks such as tree planting. For more vulnerable groups, it could include supported visits to local green space, activities such as gardening, and other outdoor activities to reduce isolation and loneliness.

Applications

Applications will need to:

• Be led by an Integrated Care System working with partner organisations, including organisations from the environment sector.
• Provide a clear explanation of how the project will help to address health inequalities and support coronavirus affected populations.
• Provide evidence of a whole system and partnership approach to project implementation.
• Demonstrate relevant experience and ability to deliver.

Four sites will be chosen from a range of locations across England that have been the hardest hit by coronavirus, focusing on areas with the greatest need and potential for impact, including to support recovery from coronavirus. The pilots will help establish what is required to scale up green social prescribing and the steps needed to increase patient referrals to environment and nature-based activities.

This will build on the Government’s commitment to transforming mental health services and increasing social prescribing, set out in the NHS Long Term Plan and supported through the work of the National Academy of Social Prescribing. The Government’s 25 year environment plan sets out an ambition to help more people, from all backgrounds, to engage with and spend time in green and blue spaces in their everyday lives, and the Government’s forthcoming Environment Bill will put the environment at the centre of policy making to ensure that we have a cleaner, greener and more resilient country for the next generation.

For more information on 'Green social prescribing: call for expressions of interest' and how to apply, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-social-prescribing-cal…;