The £12.7m trial, which was announced by the Department for Transport and will start this year, is part of a wider ‘social prescribing’ move, an approach already used in the NHS where patients are referred for non-medical activities. In 2020 the government launched trials into the impact of engagement in the natural environment on mental health and wellbeing, while social prescribing has also been adopted in many other countries, including Australia, where doctors have started prescribing 5km parkruns for patients. Health Secretary Maria Caulfield said the UK is leading the way in integrating social prescribing into the NHS and communities across the country. “Being active is hugely beneficial for both our mental and physical health, helping to reduce stress and prevent other diseases such as heart disease and obesity,” he said. The latest trial will focus specifically on boosting active travel and will take place in 11 local authority areas in England, including Cornwall, Bradford and Leeds, with free bike loans, cycling test days and mental health groups for walking and cycling. the pilot projects to be supported by the funding. The Department for Transport said that alongside the tests, which are part of the government’s shift plan published in 2020 to boost walking and cycling, infrastructure so people feel safe undertaking such activities. It is hoped that the pilots, which are to be delivered over the next three years through existing social prescribing systems and networks, will help shed light on whether activities such as cycling and walking can help reduce GP appointments and in patients’ dependence on drugs, among others. measures for the health of individuals. Chris Boardman, the former Olympic cyclist and National Active Travel commissioner, welcomed the move. Start your day with the top stories from the US, plus the day’s must-reads from across the Guardian Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. “Moving more will lead to a healthier nation, a reduced burden on the NHS, less cancer, heart disease and diabetes and huge cost savings,” he said. “This trial aims to build on existing evidence to show how bringing together transport, active travel and health can have a positive impact on communities across England.” But Dr David Strain, chairman of the BMA scientific council, said more needed to be done. “These excellent pilots are welcome, but to effectively reduce health inequalities, climate change and physical inactivity, much more investment will be needed in the long term, both in public health approaches and in capacity and active transport infrastructure across the country “, he said. Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said he welcomed news of the extra investment, which allows the NHS to trial new ways of supporting mental health, such as through social prescribing schemes. But, he added, prescribing exercise is not a panacea for treating mental health problems. “What we urgently need to see is proper investment in our nation’s mental health services,” he said. “This alone will enable us to provide support to the 1.6 million people currently on waiting lists and the 8 million people who would benefit from mental health support right now but are considered by the system to be not well enough for to have access to it.” It is not just physical activities that have attracted attention under the banner of social prescribing: the government has previously been called upon to fund reading-based activities to tackle loneliness. Now, a survey of more than 1,600 adults by the charity The Reader has found that 75% of those who read regularly believe it has a positive impact on their mental health. Katie Clark, director of literature at The Reader, said free reading groups are lifesavers for people in difficult times. “At a time when so many of us, especially many young people, who are experiencing mental health problems or poverty, are facing increasing pressures, we are calling for more shared reading groups in more communities and services across the UK,” he said.
