This week is Great Big Green Week, an event sponsored by the Climate Coalition to recognise local efforts to combat climate change and preserve the environment. We're taking this chance to showcase our Green Space for Health initiative, and our current topic of discussion is the role of green walks in the rehabilitation of mental health.
People with serious mental illnesses experience discrimination, negative effects on their physical and mental health. As inpatients, their care may include lengthy, involuntary hospitalisations for extended periods, often under circumstances which limit their access to the natural world. Walking groups can be an achievable means for wards and hospitals to provide their inpatients with the benefits of spending time surrounded by nature. A stroll through a green area does in fact help to establish the crucial space where patients and staff can concentrate on collaborative care approaches.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists and NHS Forest (run by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare) collaborated on the Green Walking in Mental Health Recovery programme, seeking to promote and improve access to green spaces for adult psychiatric inpatients.
Between 2018 and 2020, the Green Walking initiative:
- Created the Guide for Green Walking in Mental Health Recovery: This guide helps health professionals start new walking groups within their wards. It summarises relevant evidence as well as representing perspectives from patients and a wide range of health staff.
- Established Green Beacon Sites: We worked closely with several mental health trusts to establish new green space walking groups. These projects helped to identify barriers to best practice, promote the importance of green spaces for mental health and directly inform recommendations in the guide.
- Promoted pre-existing evidence and good practice: Through conferences, case studies, and new publications, Green Walking is increasing the awareness of the value of walking in green space while bringing attention to the excellent work already happening in NHS mental health trusts.
- Formed a Green Space for Health collaborative network: At its best, the delivery of mental health care reflects input from patients and a wide range of professionals. CSH provides a supportive and collaborative network of key stakeholders.
Join our Green Walking Network session tomorrow 15 June at 12:30. This monthly networking group is hosted by Mental Health Susnet on the third Thursday of each month at 12:30pm BST. It is an informal space to support people running or wanting to start green walking groups in psychiatric inpatient settings. All are welcome! https://buff.ly/3N6IcAP
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