The health agenda is a considerable part of many members' remits. As the GLNP, we have been engaging with the Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and have made some very positive progress on the topic of social prescribing through nature-based interventions. They are keen to look further into activities that focus on supporting those with long-term health issues, with the focus being on:
Enabling self-management, self-care and prevention as the approach
The environment and horticulture as the trojan horse to address health issues
One key health area being cardiovascular and pulmonary issues
Broadening offer within range of clinical pathways, with the offer being an intervention rather than activity e.g. getting people walking in nature.
As a result of our conversations, I would like to make a call for any one who has any grey evidence around environmental/horticulture interventions on health and well-being, with a focus on cardio-vascular and pulmonary conditions.
If you have any information you are happy to share we would be very grateful. It doesn't need to be local, but can be national or even international.