NHS Greenspace
Utilising greenspace in healthcare settings has benefits for patients, staff and the wider public.
Mapping and Valuing the NHS Outdoor Estate
As part of the NHS Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy, we have worked with Public Health Scotland and NHS Assure to help map the NHS outdoor estate for the first time using OS greenspace, showing that 52% (825 hectares) of this estate across Scotland is greenspace ranging from 24% (Shetland) and 63% (NHS Fife). The full report is available here – An assessment of NHSScotland greenspace. More detailed habitat mapping is currently underway which will inform a natural capital assessment of the NHS estate.
Building on previous research commissioned by NatureScot and Public Health Scotland, new research from the University of Aberdeen has calculated the economic value of NHS Scotland’s outdoor space for the first time. They estimated that people spend roughly 87 million hours a year in NHS outdoor spaces and that the health benefits from these visits is valued at around £82 million per year. The full report is available here: Valuing the health and wellbeing benefits of NHS Scotland’s outdoor estate.
NHS Greenspace Demonstration Project
The current work on NHS greenspace described above was informed by the five-year NHS greenspace demonstration project established in 2012 led by the Green Exercise Partnership (made up of NatureScot, Scottish Forestry, NHS National Services Scotland and Public Health Scotland), which came together following growing evidence of the public health benefits of engaging with the natural environment. The aims of this project were:
- to improve the quality and accessibility of greenspace on a range of demonstration sites
- to encourage more use of greenspace by patients, staff, visitors and members of the local community
Improving the provision of greenspace planned for new facilities or retrofitting better quality greenspace in existing settings was part of the first phase of the project. Demonstration sites include a range of healthcare settings – from community healthcare centres to large campus hospital sites. For more details read Unlocking the Potential of NHS Greenspace for Health and Wellbeing, published by the Green Exercise Partnership in April 2020.
By adopting updated planning, design and management principles, the NHS outdoor estate can support health and well-being. It will also help meet other NHS policies such as sustainability and biodiversity. Read Good Design of the Outdoor Estate which provides guidance on how good design of NHS greenspace can contribute to health and wellbeing objectives as well as climate change and biodiversity.
Going outdoors is not always possible, so a guide to bringing the Outdoors in has been produced to provide healthcare practitioners with ideas for indoor activities that enable the benefits of nature connection, particularly aimed at people experiencing mental ill health.
A number of case studies have been published to help bring the work of the NHS Greenspace Demonstration Project to life, and to inspire further action.
Find out more
Ayr and Ailsa Hospitals – research report of stakeholder interviews
Royal Edinburgh Hospital - research report of stakeholder interviews
Innovative NHS Greenspace in Scotland
Managing Access on the NHS estate
Last updated:
