NHS Lanarkshire highlights garden projects to mark Green Health Week
NHS Lanarkshire is marking the current Green Health Week by highlighting the work of its grounds team – whose projects are supporting patients at facilities across the health board area.
Staff in the grounds maintenance and biodiversity team help to encourage nature and environmental sustainability, with their projects including improving gardens at Udston Hospital and Caird House in Hamilton and at the Lanarkshire Beatson centre at Monklands Hospital.
They are also working to add new pollinator-friendly plants at the health board's headquarters at Kirklands in Bothwell, and say the project will be a 'trailblazer rolled out across the wider estate'.
Greenspace staff worked with patients at Caird House forensic mental health services base to rejuvenate the garden area, setting up a gardening group at the start of this year.
Forensic support worker Tommy Whiteside said: 'The gardens needed some TLC and with the help of our community mental health, occupational therapy and grounds maintenance & biodiversity teams as well as patients, it is now starting to look amazing.
'The goal is to make the garden a welcoming place for everyone to use as well as give our patients a sense of achievement in the project they have engaged with. Feedback is that they feel pride on what they have completed and are looking forward to carrying on with the group, and they also feel it is more welcoming and relaxing.'
Staff have also created new wildflower areas at the Udston CAMHS unit and improved the garden at the hospital's Brandon ward which supports patients with dementia, through funding from Vitalenergi, as well as improving the Beatson garden at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie.
NHS Lanarkshire say greenspace accounts for more than one-third of its grounds, and say these 'can make a real difference to biodiversity to encourage having lots of variety in nature, which in turn keeps the planet in balance.
'This also offers specific patient groups a chance to take part in outdoor activities that promote social inclusion, can improve their mental health, or [allow them to] enjoy some time in nature during their visit.'
Lanarkshire has a newly-created role of horticultural and biodiversity grounds manager, described as one of the first positions of its kind in NHS Scotland, and say their greenspaces provide benefits ranging from homes for plants, insects, birds and more, to the health and wellbeing impact for patients, staff and visitors.
Head of sustainability and environmental performance Craig Brown said: 'NHS Lanarkshire is committed to improving our environmental sustainability, as well as making our sites a safe and clean place for staff, visitors and patients.
'Our greenspace accounts for 36 per cent of our grounds, and it's great to be able to use these spaces as an opportunity to support, and positively impact, those who spend time there, as well as contribute to the planet, environment and wildlife.'
Green health partnership lead Vicki Trim said: 'Our work within the hospital gardens is possible thanks to the Greener Communities Fund, a partnership between NHS Charities Together and environmental charity Hubbub, supported by Starbucks' 5p cup.
'NHS Lanarkshire is working to provide good quality greenspaces to improve biodiversity. It also showcases how much patients and the wider community gain when we connect with different people and engage with the outdoors, so it's win-win for people and the planet.'
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