Naturally Healthy – Reports, Evidence and Links

Devon reports

Also see reports from Devon Projects (National Parks etc) on our partner project pages.

In April 2019 medical student Tom Downs joined the Naturally Healthy team for his student elective placement. He spent time with a number of naturally healthy projects, including CAN.  You can read his thoughts on the health benefits of connecting with nature in a report on his experiences in general (Nature and health report) and on the CAN projects he visited.

How to engage target audiences in Naturally Healthy events – Guidance document produced by Active Devon (February 2018).

In 2014 DCC’s public health team commissioned a literature review and research looking at the barriers people face in accessing Devon’s natural environment.  Resulting publications include:

• Naturally Healthy Scoping Report
• Annex A Transform Naturally Healthy Qualitative Research Final Report;
• Annex B Naturally Healthy Stakeholder Mapping Spring 2014
• Annex C Literature Review January 2014
• Getting Naturally Healthy – power point of the research findings by Nigel Tremlett of Transform Research
• A successful Naturally Healthy Scoping Report Workshop was held in November 2014 to promote the findings of the research with partners.

Reconnecting People and Nature (2012) – a report produced by the Community Council for Devon for Natural Devon following workshops with local communities and partner organisations.

Public Health Priorities for Devon

Devon County Council’s health and wellbeing pages provide information on public health issues and priorities across the county – including the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, the Devon Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy, Outcomes Reports and District Public Health Summaries.

The Devon Health and Wellbeing Strategy includes an indicator measuring the ‘proportion of physically active adults’.  More information can be found on the Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Report webpage.

Read the most recent ‘Devon Annual Public Health Report 2019/20‘ which is themed Planetary and Human Health.

Evidence – Natural England/ Defra and Public Health England publications

Natural England’s rapid scoping review of health and wellbeing evidence for the Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards sets out the sizeable body of research that underlines the importance of creating more, bigger, better and joined-up green spaces, especially near to where people live, and to address inequalities.

Public Health England’s ‘Improving access to greenspace review’ is now published and includes the recent evidence linking greenspace to health outcomes, intervention approaches, valuation of greenspace, and advice on how to strengthen local policies and strategies.

Natural England’s Monitoring of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE). An analysis of the latest results (March 2018 to February 2019) and 10 years of the survey (2009 to 2019).

• MENE Story Map: People’s engagement with nature (10 years of the MENE survey)
• MENE National Survey: Headline report
• Children and Young People report

Other evidence and publications

Register for the SWEEP Investing in Nature for Health Hub for great resources around nature and health

Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective.  A look at how ecosystem service assessments can be expanded to include mental health.

Faculty of Public Health – guidance for consultants and practitioners on sustainable development and climate change.

‘Advancing Our Healthy – Prevention in the 2020s is now available and contains a strong element around Physical Activity.  Please take the time to review and respond to the consultation questions.

Social Prescribing: Making it work for GPs and patients – guidance from the British Medical Association

Social prescribing and community-based support: Summary guide – NHS England

How to engage target audiences in your Naturally Healthy events – Guidance document from Active Devon (February 2018)

Useful Links and Websites

Centre for Sustainable Healthcare

The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change

MIND – information on the benefits of ecotherapy

The King’s Fund brings together a wide range of evidence-based interventions on ‘what works’ in improving public health and reducing health inequalities.

Sustainable Development Unit’s Powerful Points Library Tool

Moving Medicine Prescribing Movement Tool