Machynlleth patients have called for nature-based sessions to be prescribed alongside clinical care.

The results of a study based at Bro Ddyfi Community Hospital found that of 600 participants, the majority found the outdoors helped their health and wellbeing and agreed that outdoor and nature-based activities ‘should be available on prescription’.

Staff also stated they would like to be able to prescribe activities alongside medical intervention, but that they had no time or resources to do so.

“Prescriptions” could include attending woodland skills, cooking and foraging workshops, arts and crafts, accessible walking, movement and nature mindfulness.

The vision created would see Bro Ddyfi becoming an “inspiration for how green social prescribing could work at other healthcare sites”.

The study led by Coed Lleol, a group which runs health and wellbeing activities, ran 20 nature-based wellbeing activities with community members, addressing locally identified health needs including mental health issues, mobility and chronic illnesses.

Rosie Strang, Mid Wales Coordinator for Coed Lleol, said: “Evidence shows that nature can transform our health - improving our mental health, increasing lifespans and reducing chronic disease.

“Activities have already started happening at the hospital such as Nature Health Walk Leader training for community volunteers this July.” This ‘green social prescribing’ would aim to provide preventative care, creating a more sustainable health care system.

The study found a network of experienced and skilled outdoor activity providers in the area desired stronger connections with the healthcare sector, whilst many participants responded that they would be interested in volunteering in such programmes.

The report read: “The collective vision emerging from this study is for a thriving Community Hospital at the heart of the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere.

“It would support the health and resilience of its community and the environment by offering an outdoor health service that is integrated and complementary to its primary and secondary clinical care.” Recommendations included establishing an Outdoor Health Development Group and Coordinator to target fundraising sources and establish a ‘sustainable and targetted programme of outdoor health and wellbeing activities, with formal and informal programmes, taster days and volunteer opportunities’, with an integrated registration and referral pathway.