Nature Scot – How Nature for Health is Trending

ORN Member Nature Scots publication on green health partnerships (GHPs) Realising the Potential of Scotland’s Natural Health Service in Practice is the most recent in a series of reports that considers what the Green Health Partnerships have achieved and where they could go next. 

These partnerships involve collaboration between health boards, local authorities, and other sectors to promote physical and mental health using local green spaces. Scotland’s approach to green health focuses on improving the supply, quality, and accessibility of nature (place-making); increasing participation in nature-based activities; and recognizing the benefits of nature in health and environmental policy (policy synergy).

Four pilot partnerships were established in 2018 in Dundee, Highland, Lanarkshire, and North Ayrshire.  The pilot GHPs have facilitated opportunities for people to engage with nature, increased awareness among health professionals about the benefits of nature-based health promotion, and mainstreamed nature-based contributions into local policies and plans. While the pilot phase has now concluded, the partnership remain active and there is activity beyond those geographies.

Part of this journey is the recent establishment of a Scotland wide Green Health Learning Network. Led by Public Health Scotland and supported by Nature Scot and Greenspace Scotland, this network launched with an inaugural webinar in January 2025 exploring the current strategic direction of green health and evidence related to green prescribing. At this event evidence from Green Health Prescribing (GHPr) work in Dundee, Highland, and North Ayrshire was presented. It has been evaluated it using the APEASE (Acceptability, Practicability, Effectiveness, Affordability, Spillover effects, Equity) criteria.

The evaluation found that stakeholders generally accepted the concept of using green spaces and green health prescribing, with service users reporting improvements in physical, mental, and social outcomes. It was considered an affordable approach for service users, but a lack of supporting IT infrastructure for referrals, communication, and data capture posed challenges and needs to be improved to support strategic decision making.

The study suggests that sustainable funding, tailored activities, and accessible information are crucial for successful GHPs implementation. Addressing barriers such as travel costs, mobility issues, and cultural factors is essential to ensure equitable access to green health activities