Using nature to help tackle mental health issues in the West Midlands

Almost 150 practitioners have now been trained and given enough resources to help their first 1,000 patients thanks to RSPB Nature Prescriptions. 

The resources provided as part of the West Midlands Nature Prescriptions project include copies of a co-designed booklet filled with simple, accessible ways to connect with nature. This booklet has been developed in collaboration with local healthcare professionals, ensuring they are relevant, practical, and supportive of wellbeing, including mindful activities like noticing the colours of leaves or watching rain run down a windowpane. They are free to the recipients, who are then able to use them in a way that is practical and meaningful to them. 

While RSPB Nature Prescriptions have been successfully delivered across the UK since 2018, the West Midlands launch in 2025 is significant as it is the first to focus on a heavily urbanised environment. RSPB Nature Prescriptions has been made possible on a large scale thanks to funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, which is also funding a similar scheme in Cardiff; the first such project in Wales. 

The RSPB has worked in partnership with a range of local GPs and health practitioners, such as occupational therapists, and has delivered training and resources to them. The project gives health providers the knowledge and resources to encourage recipients to use nature in a range of ways – conversations around Nature Prescriptions are personalised to the individual, to help them to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. 

The results of a trial originally held in Scotland, a collaboration between RSPB Scotland and NHS Shetland, found that 74% of patients said they’d benefited from their prescription and 91% of prescribing healthcare professionals said they’d continue to offer RSPB Nature Prescriptions. 

Jayne Ison, 53, from Edgbaston, Birmingham has used nature to help with her diagnoses of anxiety and depression, and later, of ADHD. She has been involved in helping others access RSPB Nature Prescriptions through her work as an Expert by Experience (EBE) at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Recovery College for All. The centre uses EBEs – volunteers who have first-hand experience of living with their own mental health issues – alongside healthcare professionals, to jointly deliver courses. 

Jayne said: “I was lucky as I had a GP who recognised how good it would be for me to use nature to help me. I know not everyone has this and it’s so important. I think a healthcare professional giving you ‘permission’ to enjoy nature really emphasises how important it is.” 

Jayne continued: “When I came across the work of RSPB Nature Prescriptions through the Recovery College, I really wanted to be involved and find ways to help ensure more and more people get access to this service.” 

Alexis Johnson, RSPB nature and wellbeing officer, said: “We’re thrilled to have trained nearly 150 healthcare professionals, and with 1,000 booklets ready and waiting, I’m looking forward to seeing more, and more diverse, people take advantage of Nature Prescriptions in the future. 

Alexis continued: "Healthcare providers are now confidently integrating nature into their practice, adding it to their toolkit to support the health and wellbeing of those they care for. Collaborating with the RSPB has provided the reassurance and inspiration to begin this journey, bringing nature into the heart of urban healthcare. I'm excited to spread the word about how you don't need a nature reserve, a park, or even be outside to connect with nature." 

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “You might think that in order to get the benefits of being in nature that you need to be outdoors in the countryside or in another rural setting but that's not the case. Connecting with nature and experiencing the benefit that can come from something as simple as noticing the pattern on a leaf or breathing in the crisp autumn air. 

Laura added: "It's really exciting that the RSPB Nature Prescription project is coming to an urban area for the first time and I'm delighted that it's happening thanks to funding raised by players of People's Postcode Lottery." 

At Recovery Colleges in both Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, new RSPB Nature Prescription courses have been developed and are now underway off the back of their staff training. The courses are running in Birmingham, Walsall and Wolverhampton. These colleges offer a range of free educational courses to help people understand and manage their mental health. 

A spokesperson for Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “We’re really proud to have collaborated with the RSPB team on their Nature Prescriptions project. The work being done in this space aligns so well with mental health and our wider commitment to creating caring, therapeutic environments for our Black Country communities. 

They added: "Being part of this initiative has been a rewarding experience for all of us, and we’ve seen first-hand how access to nature can help to enhance mental wellbeing. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside the RSPB team to deliver connection to outdoor spaces that offer comfort, connection and healing for our patients.” 

Senior occupational therapists and psychologists, amongst other roles from the Trust, have worked with the RSPB on this scheme. 

To find out more about RSPB Nature Prescriptions visit the website: rspb.org.uk/natureprescriptions