Towards a Natural Health Service

1
Towards a Natural Health Service

• Sir Martin Doughty
• Chair
• Natural England

2
Natural Englands purpose

• Natural England is here to conserve and enhance
  the natural environment, for its intrinsic value,
  the well-being and enjoyment of people, and the
  economic prosperity that it brings.

3
The Natural Health Service

• People need to be reconnected with nature to gain
  the health benefits.
• Professionals need to understand the value of the
  health benefits and how best to reconnect the
  public.
• Landowners and environmentalist need to offer
  access and explain all the benefits that a
  natural environment offers to reconnect people.

More People enjoying, understanding and acting to
improve, the natural environment, more often.
4
Benefits of natural environments

• Physical stress reduction, physical activity
  leading to reduction in heart disease factors
  including obesity
• Mental self esteem, alleviation of anxiety,
  self awareness, addiction rehabilitation
• Social sense of place, improved social ties and
  social cohesion

5
Nature and Physical Health
6
Physical inactivity is a big problem Inactive
people have higher healthcare costs
Cost of additional healthcare due to inactivity
inactive
active
Years of life 20 40
60 80
Source CDC / National Centre for Chronic Disease
Prevention
7
Nature and Mental Health
8
Reduction in Blood Pressure following a stress
event
9
Green Space increasing levels of activity and play
Childrens physical activity levels are strongly
related to the amount of time spent outdoors
Children are more likely to play in areas of
green space with resulting better motor
co-ordination and attention. Grahn P, (1997).
10
Where Now?

• Every GP practice should be linked with a health
  walk scheme.
• Must do better at including those who need the
  exercise the most
• Men
• Those with diabetes, heart disease, hypertension.
• Urban
• Ethnic Minorities
• Lower social class
• Evaluation with NICE approval
• Influence local planning to include green space
  in all development
• Link with Green Exercise

11
Walking is mans best medicine

• Hippocrates
• born 460BC