Healthcare professionals at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are using nature‑based approaches to support mental health and wellbeing, as up to 1.6 million people in the UK continue to live with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Occupational Therapy and Community Mental Health teams in the area are among more than 150 practitioners across the Midlands to receive specialist training from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), equipping them with practical tools to help patients connect with nature – particularly during the colder, darker months.
The initiative forms part of the RSPB Nature Prescriptions project, which is based on growing evidence that time spent connecting with nature can significantly improve mood, sleep and cognitive function. Through the programme, staff were provided with training and printed resources designed to help both clinicians and service users make better use of natural environments, or find simple ways to experience nature wherever they are.
While the Black Country is highly urbanised, it is home to a range of accessible green spaces including Wren’s Nest, Sandwell Valley Country Park and Bantock Park. Nature Prescriptions encourages people to build meaningful and lasting connections with the natural world – from walking among fallen leaves to something as simple as observing the changing sky – even when visiting outdoor spaces is not possible.
The RSPB Nature Prescriptions course was developed collaboratively by the Trust’s Recovery College, which has tailored the training and resources to suit the needs of the communities it serves. To date, more than 100 healthcare professionals across the Trust have worked with the RSPB through the scheme.
Zena Sharma, Clinical Lead for Community Mental Health (Wolverhampton North), at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, commented:
“We’re really proud to have collaborated with the RSPB team on their Nature Prescriptions project. At this time of year, it becomes even more important to look after our wellbeing and spend some time connecting to nature. Being part of this initiative has been a rewarding experience for all of us, and we’ve seen first-hand how noticing nature can help to enhance wellbeing.”
Occupational Therapy Assistants at the Trust are also delivering nature‑based interventions directly with patients. Working closely with the RSPB, they have supported people with dementia to take part in activities such as gardening and walking‑for‑wellbeing sessions within local communities.
Healthcare leaders say that Nature Prescriptions offer a valuable, low‑cost way to support mental health throughout the year, while playing an especially important role during winter, when many people experience worsening symptoms of low mood and isolation.
By embedding nature into care pathways, NHS teams across the Black Country aim to improve wellbeing, promote recovery and help people feel more connected — both to their environment and to their communities.
Image credit: iStock
