This co-production project, located in the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) – Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, is exploring how integrating green spaces into secure psychiatric healthcare environments can enhance staff and patient wellbeing while addressing institutional demands.
Project Aims
The project aims to explore how green spaces can function as hybrid environments to support recovery and wellbeing while meeting the operational needs of secure psychiatric healthcare settings.
How are we doing this?
Phase 1 involved setting up a therapeutic garden within the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit in collaboration with staff, using a co-production approach.
We are piloting the PICU-ECOFLORET Toolkit to capture both human mental and environmental health, while also assessing the infrastructure needed to establish the PICU as a Living Lab.
We adopted a ‘micro’ case study approach to examine an enhanced green space within a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This involved qualitative research methods, including observational analysis and co-produced insights with staff and patients, to explore the relational and spatial dynamics of these spaces.
Partners and Collaborators
This project is co-produced with PICU staff at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, leveraging their expertise and lived experiences to guide and shape the research. By integrating interdisciplinary knowledge in mental health, environmental design, and healthcare operations, the initiative aims to develop meaningful and sustainable solutions.
Collaborators include medical professionals, support staff, operational teams, and therapeutic horticulturalists, bridging expertise across therapeutic design, institutional requirements, and green space management.
Importance
Green spaces are often overlooked and underused in secure psychiatric healthcare environments, yet they have the potential to improve patient recovery, staff resilience, and institutional sustainability. By co-producing and testing practical solutions, the project aims to bridge these gaps and foster environments that promote holistic wellbeing.
Main Findings
Phase 1 Achievements:
- A therapeutic garden was successfully co-designed and implemented with staff, creating a functional and inclusive space. Co-produced insights revealed the value of incorporating diverse plantings and sensory engagement to enhance functionality and inclusivity.
- Green spaces in secure settings serve dual roles in supporting patient recovery and staff wellbeing but require tailored designs that balance therapeutic benefits with safety and operational demands.
- The hybridity of these spaces blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor environments, creating opportunities to rethink how therapeutic environments are designed and operationalised.
Key takeaways and applications
The findings demonstrate the feasibility and value of integrating green spaces into high-stress secure healthcare environments. They highlight the potential of hybrid green spaces to function as dual-purpose environments, supporting both patient recovery and staff wellbeing.
These insights inform the future implementation of similar projects, contributing to sustainable healthcare design and aligning with NHS Green Plan goals. Additionally, they underscore the importance of co-production in designing spaces that balance operational demands with holistic care.
Key Researchers:
Dr Katrin Wilhelm, OH BRC Flourishing and Wellbeing Theme
Sasha Menon, OH BRC Flourishing and Wellbeing Theme
Joe Boyle, School of Geography and the Environment
