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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Nature Prescriptions Pilot in Edinburgh

  • Submitted by: Alison Johnstone, Lothian, Scottish Green Party.
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2020
  • Motion reference: S5M-23329

That the Parliament welcomes the introduction of a five-month Nature Prescriptions pilot being run at five GP practices in Edinburgh; understands that East Craigs Medical Centre, Leith Mount Surgery, Inchpark Surgery, St Triduana’s Medical Practice and Mill Lane Surgery are taking part; notes that it is part of a new collaboration between RSPB Scotland and Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation; understands that the participating practices will prescribe nature to patients as part of their treatment; believes that the initiative is inspired by growing evidence that connecting with nature makes people healthier and happier and provides a range of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, enhanced immune function, reductions in stress, anxiety and fatigue, improved concentration and increases in life satisfaction and happiness; acknowledges that Nature Prescriptions started in Shetland in 2017 as a partnership between RSPB Scotland and NHS Shetland and was successfully rolled out to all 10 GP practices across Shetland in 2018; notes that the Edinburgh pilot aims to investigate whether Nature Prescriptions can be delivered in a similar way in an urban environment, and to explore the potential for extending it throughout Scotland, and acknowledges what it sees as the important role that social prescribing has to play in supporting self-management of health conditions and enhancing holistic approaches to addressing health, wellbeing and mental health problems.


Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Claudia Beamish, John Finnie, Kenneth Gibson, Patrick Harvie, Bill Kidd, Monica Lennon, Stuart McMillan