The health benefits of green spaces and tree-lined streets need to be realised, says Natural England.

Great inroads could be made into urban ill health if just a fraction of the NHS annual budget for preventative health was spent on the natural environment in our towns and cities, says Natural England.

Speaking at the annual UK Public Health conference in Liverpool, Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England, said:

“The link between human health and the environment is nothing new but people have become disconnected from the natural environment and the link between environment and health has been temporarily lost.

“The green space in our towns and cities is being pushed into lay-bys, roundabouts and rectangular parks. Gardens are concreted over to park the car and recreation grounds are developed for housing. Could we spend more of the NHS’s annual budget on preventative health by investing more money to transform these green spaces and create others for the benefit of the nation’s health?

“We need to show people that the NHS extends beyond the consulting rooms. To feel the well-being and health benefits of the natural environment doesn’t have to involve a walk along the Norfolk coast or through lush Suffolk countryside. Natural England is working with NHS and the Department of Health on a scheme to show patients how it can be done. We hope this is the first of many,” concluded Sir Martin.

Dr William Bird, Natural England’s health advisor, is working with Natural England’s health campaign team to highlight the benefits of contact with the natural environment ultimately to help create a ‘natural health service’.

Dr Bird, who said: “Natural England has trained over 35,000 volunteer health walk leaders to get the most unfit in urban as well as rural areas to walk more through the Walking the Way to Health scheme. We have 37 walking groups in the East of England including city centres, suburbs as well as open countryside on the outskirts of town . If more money was be spent on schemes like this and the green areas in our towns and cities we could get many more people using the outdoors around them as their gym. These schemes can not only make a difference to peoples’ lives but also the number of people visiting our GPs surgeries.”

Natural England has started to generate high quality evidence that can be used to influence where the NHS spends its money. It has developed the Outdoor Health Questionnaire with National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the British Heart Foundation that will measure changes in physical activity in those taking part in Health Walk schemes.

In the east of England, Natural England has been consulting with community groups in the Harlow and Peterborough areas to find out which local natural greenspaces they use and what they would like to see improved. The consultation results will inform the future improvement of these sites for public enjoyment.

As well as arguing for the transformation of existing green spaces in urban and urban fringe areas, Natural England is working with partners in the Growth Areas and Growth Points across the east of England to ensure that green infrastructure is at the heart of all new developments, and that these new developments are linked to the wider countryside to benefit both people and wildlife.