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Sun, Qian, Loveday, Mary, Nwe, Saw, Morris, Nike and Boxal, Emily (2023) Green Social Prescribing in Practice: A Case Study of Walsall, UK. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20 (17). ISSN 1660-4601

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Abstract

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of Green Social Prescribing (GSP) in Walsall, a medium-sized urban area located in the West Midlands, UK. GSP is a means of enabling health professionals to refer people to a range of local non-clinical nature-based activities, e.g., community gardening and conservation volunteering. As a new practice to address multiple challenges in health and sustainability, GSP has been promoted by the UK government and the NHS in the past few years. There is as yet limited evidence and knowledge about how this approach is implemented at a local level. This paper addresses this gap of knowledge, by exploring how GSP is implemented in Walsall as a case study. Based on extensive engagement and research activities with the local partners to collect data, this paper reveals the local contexts of GSP, the referral pathways, and people’s lived experience, discussing the challenges, barriers, and opportunities in delivering GSP at the local level. This study suggests that a more collaborative and genuine place-based approach is essential, and alongside GSP, investment into infrastructure is needed to move the health paradigm further from ‘prevention’ to ‘promotion’ so that more people can benefit from what nature can offer.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Green Social Prescribing, Social Prescribing, place-based thinking, case study, link worker, Walsall
Depositing User: Mary Loveday
URI: https://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/20579

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Uncontrolled Keywords
Green Social Prescribing, Social Prescribing, place-based thinking, case study, link worker, Walsall
Depositing User

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Item ID
20579
Identification Number
ISSN
1660-4601

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ORCID for Mary Loveday

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Date Deposited
20 Jul 2026 13:48
Last Modified
20 Jul 2026 13:52

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Author
Qian Sun
Author
Saw Nwe
Author
Nike Morris
Author
Emily Boxal

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