New research on green spaces to boost stroke patients’ recovery
Stroke affects around 100,000 people in the UK each year
The research is funded by The Stroke Association
The project will use a mixed-methods approach including behavioural mapping and qualitative interviews
The team will develop recommendations for implementing therapeutic green spaces in other hospitals
A collaborative study, led by researchers at Bradford Institute for Health Research, will create pointers for hospitals across England to improve facilities for stroke patients, while supporting Greener NHS commitments.
Research shows many stroke patients spend a lot of time inactive in hospital wards, which may lead to boredom and low mood that can hamper their recovery progress.
The £200,000 study “Exploring the potential impact of green spaces for in-patient stroke units: A mixed methods study”, funded by The Stroke Association, will investigate how green spaces within hospitals can help reduce patient inactivity, improve mental well-being and experiences, and increase engagement in rehabilitation leading to better recovery.Research Study profile
The two-year research study, led by Professor Anne Forster, Professor of Ageing & Stroke Research and Deputy Director for Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, will monitor how outdoor spaces are used at three stroke units across the UK and gather feedback from patients, families and staff.
Professor Forster said:
“We know that activity is vital for stroke recovery, yet hospital environments often limit opportunities for meaningful engagement. This research will help us understand whether green spaces can provide additional settings for stroke recovery and social connection.”
Dr Scott Thomson, Head of Research at the Stroke Association, said:
“We’re proud to be funding this project which was inspired by the Stroke Association’s Garden for Recovery from last year’s Chelsea Flower Show, which is now at Chapel Allerton Hospital in Leeds.
Physical and mental stimulation are both hugely important for stroke survivors when they are spending time in hospital, particularly in the early stages of recovery. Yet, we do need a better understanding of how green spaces could be part of this. This research will provide valuable insight into how hospital green spaces can be meaningfully and usefully designed so that stroke survivors, their loved ones and stroke professionals can make the most of them.”
Dr. Tom Crocker, Associate Professor in Stroke Care from the Academic Unit for Ageing and Stroke Research, at Bradford Institute for Health Research, said:
“Our goal is to determine how outdoor spaces can be optimally designed and integrated into stroke rehabilitation. This could transform how we approach stroke rehabilitation in hospital settings and promote sustainability.”
Peter Coventry, Professor of Health, Environment and Society at Manchester Metropolitan University said:
“Integrating green spaces into stroke care has the potential to improve recovery, enhance staff wellbeing, and contribute to more sustainable models of healthcare. This study will generate vital evidence on how hospital environments can support both patient outcomes and the NHS’s wider Green and net-zero commitments.”
The research team will use behavioural mapping to track how patients, visitors and staff use existing green spaces, complemented by in-depth interviews about their experiences.
Findings from the study will create a practical framework for how hospital gardens could be designed and utilised as therapeutic environments for stroke recovery nationwide. The project also supports the Greener NHS programme, exploring how hospital green spaces can contribute to NHS sustainability goals while improving patient care.
