Scotland's Population Health Framework 2025-2035 outlines a ten-year vision for improving the health and wellbeing of people across Scotland, recognising that health is significantly shaped by factors outside the direct health and care system. A key area of focus within this Framework is the importance of healthy places and communities.

Regarding green and blue spaces, the Framework highlights several key points and actions:

• The document categorises "Places and Communities" as one of the five key interconnected prevention drivers of health and wellbeing. The aim within this driver is to create healthy and sustainable places by working in and with communities.
• It explicitly states that access to nature-rich blue and green spaces is a vital feature of communities that contributes to people's health.
• A medium to long-term aim within the "Places and Communities" section is to improve the quality of the built and natural environments, including access to green and blue spaces. The Framework reinforces that actions such as improving access to green and blue spaces can offer significant population health benefits.
• Under the "Enabling Healthy Living" driver, which focuses on developing supportive environments for health, the Framework outlines actions for Physical Activity. These include strengthening access and ensuring the sustainability of good quality public and greenspaces, green networks, recreational spaces, play and sports amenities. This demonstrates a commitment to utilising these spaces to encourage physical activity and promote healthier lives.
• The Framework also explicitly notes the close links between environmental and human health, stating the importance of maximising efforts to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. These efforts, including those related to green and blue spaces, contribute to improving human health.

Alongside these there is also a commitment to Develop a National Social Prescribing Framework for Scotland. Which could be positive news for the movement to implement, expand and formalise Green Health Prescribing across Scotland. You can read more on Green Health Perscribing in our feature Green is the New Black.