Understanding the Barriers to Commissioning Social and Therapeutic Horticulture in Health Care To Inform Evidence-Based Policymaking, 2023

This study aimed to understand the barriers to commissioning social and therapeutic horticulture (STH) in mental health care and to identify potential solutions to barriers, to support more widespread availability of services for the prevention and treatment of mental ill-health. Individuals with a role in mental health care commissioning from across the UK were invited to take part in semi-structured interviews via Zoom. Interviews explored factors influencing service commissioning, participants' perception of the role of STH in mental health care and the barriers to commissioning STH, together with potential solutions. Commissioners identified a lack of knowledge of STH and evidence of its effectiveness as barriers to commissioning. Challenges in commissioning STH services for whole regions were also highlighted as a barrier, along with a commissioning culture that prioritises traditional medical models. To upscale the commissioning of STH in mental health care, information on STH services and their effectiveness needs to be easily accessible to practitioners. The sector should also work collaboratively to enable the commissioning of services at scale.