DELIVERING PARKS FOR HEALTH REDUCES AVOIDABLE ILL-HEALTH, BUILDS COMMUNITY AND MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE

the health PARKS INITIATIVE

Here at Health Parks©, we are committed to the creation of healthy sustainable communities. To demonstrate this commitment we have created the Parks for Health Assessment model. We are proud to acknowledge the participation of Parks for London in the evolution of this Toolkit, and the contribution of Local Authorities, the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces with associated Friends of Parks Groups.

The assessment allows you to gain an overview of your park for health and wellbeing. It can provide useful technical data and can facilitate the development of green space health strategies. The model brings together within a single assessment: accessibility, physical health, mental well-being, the environment and biodiversity. It also provides insights into Health Promotion, and green social prescribing. This information can be used to:

• Identifies practical interventions which can improve health and well-being.

• Place parks and green spaces within Primary Prevention

• Strengthen funding bids.

• Guide investment decisions.

• Complement and enhance Open Space and Green Infrastructure Audits and Strategies

  Parks* and green spaces have in the past been seen as a cost, rather than being valued for their contribution to health and wellbeing as an asset.  The model allows the practical delivery of health related elements allowing parks to be realised as health assets.

THE EVIDENCE

Scientific evidence supports the value of Parks and Green Spaces for health. They have been associated with:

• Reduced all cause morbidity and prevalence of avoidable medical conditions and co-morbidities related to Obesity, CHD, Type 2 Diabetes, Strokes and some Cancers.

• Improving Mental Wellbeing: Alleviating Stress, Anxiety and Depression, Dementia.

• Strengthening Social Capital and cohesion.

• Mitigating Environmental Risk Factors and medical conditions related to Noise, Pollution, flooding, UV Radiation and temperature extremes.

• Enhancing biodiversity for its link to the promotion of health and wellbeing.

It Makes Economic Sense

The use of green spaces to prevent and treat avoidable ill-health can reduce the cost of health care. As such it justifies investment in parks by Parks Departments, Public Health and the NHS. Work by Fields in Trust identified the following economic facts:

• The Total Economic Value to an individual is £30.24 per year (£2.52 per month),

• The Wellbeing Value associated with the frequent use of local parks and green spaces is worth £34.2 billion per year to the entire UK adult population

• Parks and green spaces are estimated to save the NHS around £111 million per year based solely on a reduction in GP visits and excluding any additional savings from prescribing or referrals

  In addition:

• Increasing biodiversity can have a positive bearing on health, and bring with it reduced maintenance costs for parks departments.

• Engaging in parks can reduce adult and social care costs, and help promote mental wellbeing.

• Parks and Green Spaces have a positive impact upon desirability of an area, its property values and its attractiveness for businesses.

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** ‘Health Parks’ is a registered Trademark.

*The term ‘Parks and Green Spaces’ can include Parks, formal gardens, commons, public woodlands, nature reserves, recreation grounds, playing fields, village greens, amenity green spaces, play spaces and civic/market square, i.e. community spaces as well as dedicated play areas and activity zones.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HEALTH PARKS, PLEASE CONTACT US THROUGH healthparks@gmail.com OR SEND US A MESSAGE.