Revised Edition: Green Social Prescribing Toolkit
Develop Green Social Prescribing in your area
From walking groups and community gardening to conservation volunteering and outdoor arts and culture, Green Social Prescribing connects people with nature-based activities that support better health and wellbeing.
The Green Social Prescribing Toolkit collates learning from the cross-Government Green Social Prescribing programme to help regional leaders set up successful Green Social Prescribing systems locally.
It brings together learning from practice to help you:
- Develop partnerships and co-design activities with communities
- Strengthen connections between health care and activities
- Expand and embed Green Social Prescribing - offering it to everyone.
By creating the local infrastructure, this establishes a holistic and personalised approach so that more people are supported by the positive impact of nature.
Thanks for your feedback! The first edition of the Green Social Prescribing Toolkit was created by NHS England in 2023 on behalf of the Green Social Prescribing cross-governmental partnership. The revised edition was edited and updated by the National Academy for Social Prescribing on behalf of the partnership in 2026. Thank you to everyone who took part in the survey.
Green Social Prescribing Toolkit webinar - 30th September
Green Social Prescribing Toolkit webinar - 30th September
What is Green Social Prescribing?
Green social prescribing is the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health. Social prescribing link workers (and other trusted professionals in allied roles) connect people to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support, based on a ‘what matters to you’ conversation.
The cross-Government Green Social Prescribing programme
The Green Social Prescribing Programme to Tackle and Prevent Mental Ill Health was a pioneering initiative to test the benefits of using nature-based support for people’s mental health.
Established in October 2020, the £5.77 million cross-Government programme set out to test how to embed green social prescribing into communities. Learnings have been captured in the revised Green Social Prescribing Toolkit and other resources to expand this successful programme.
What is the evidence for Green Social Prescribing?
The evidence for all types of social prescribing is growing. Nature-based social prescribing can have positive effects on health and wellbeing and is particularly shown to reduce loneliness and improve your mental health.
National Research
Evaluation of the Green Social Prescribing programme
The evaluation of the cross-Government Green Social Prescribing Programme to Tackle and Prevent Mental Ill Health demonstrates that helping people to engage in nature-based activities - including horticulture, conservation work or nature-based exercise groups - can improve mental health. The programme was extended until April 2025.
DHSC has also commissioned and funded four clinical research studies testing the effectiveness of green social prescribing on mental health outcomes. These studies have been commissioned by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and if found to be feasible, there are plans for full-scale studies.
- A development and feasibility study for a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) of nature-based social prescribing for mental health
- A nature-based intervention to improve mental health: Efficacy of an angling intervention for military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder
- Outdoor swimming as a nature-based social prescribing intervention for depression: a feasibility randomised control trial
- A short-term evaluability assessment looking at what works for whom in what contexts for Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups
Green Social Prescribing Case Studies
Green Social Prescribing in Humber and North Yorkshire
Green Social Prescribing in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Green Social Prescribing in Nottingham ICS
Green Social Prescribing in South Yorkshire ICS
Download the toolkit
The Green Social Prescribing Toolkit collates learning from the cross-Government Green Social Prescribing programme to help regional leaders develop Green Social Prescribing in their area
