Asia Pacific’s First Green and Blue Social Prescribing Conference

As Asia Pacific’s first green and blue social prescribing conference it was wonderful to have NatureFix join a trans-disciplinary range of experts on the interconnections and opportunities between people, their communities, their environments for wellbeing. The conference included leaders in nature-based interventions, health, sport, education and environment with a common goal of improving human health and wellness, through connection to nature and environment. The conference objective being to build an epistemic community that forges linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries - motivated to come to together to share, and to build strategies for action, framed by our shared interests to impact policy and practice on social prescribing. 

Why is Social Prescribing important?

The broader space of social prescribing recognises that much of wellbeing and quality of life sits beyond basic medical treatment. From loneliness to food security to housing and quality of life, many of the interventions that make a difference to someone’s social, emotional and physical wellbeing can happen outside of the consultation room or hospital setting. With increasing pressures on the health system, and a growing recognition of the impacts of the social determinants of health, there is a rising need to link people to the resources within their communities, to facilitate access to opportunities for better health and wellbeing, whilst ensuring a positive net impact on the systems and environments that support them.

NatureFix offers a nature prescription

A nature prescription, also known as a green prescription or nature referral, is a nature-based intervention that health professionals can recommend or prescribe to a patient, consumer or client to positively impact their physical and/or mental health. Nature prescriptions encourage access to nature as a non-drug related approach to self-development and recovery. Offering a cost-effective solution compared to conventional therapies and drug treatments. They are not intended to replace existing treatments, but should rather be considered as a complementary approach based on empirical research. To learn more about NatureFix’s nature prescription program visit: www.naturefix.life/nature-prescriptions

Many thanks to ASPIRE for gathering such innovative leaders in this field, both nationally and internationally and coalescing a collective vision to progress this important movement. To learn more about ASPIRE and their inspiring work visit www.creatingopportunitiestogether.com.au