CAMHS Goes Wild! Feasibility Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
CAMHS Goes Wild: A mixed methods feasibility study of a Nature Based Lifestyle Medicine group intervention in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) service
IRAS ID
372066
Contact name
Ben Hyams
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Many young people in the UK are waiting a long time to get help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). While they wait, many still struggle with their mental health. One idea that may help is a group programme that uses ‘lifestyle medicine’ and nature based activities. Lifestyle medicine is about simple things you can do in your daily life to feel better. This includes things like spending time with others, being active, eating well, sleeping better, managing stress, and avoiding harmful substances.
Cornwall CAMHS has created a new group that uses these ideas. Thanks to new funding, young people in Cornwall can join this group instead of being put on a waiting list for therapy. The group will be improved over time using feedback from the young people who take part, their parents or carers, and the staff running it. Three groups of eight young people (24 in total) will join the sessions.
Lifestyle medicine and nature based activities are becoming more popular, but there is still not much research showing how well they work for young people. Because of this, young people who join the group will also be invited to take part in a research study.
If a young person joins the group, they will be asked if CAMHS can use the information they already collect about them for the research. This includes things like their mental health, wellbeing, and living situation. Young people, parents, carers, and staff will also be asked what they think about the group. Their feedback will help show which parts work best and how the programme can be improved to support young people in the future.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
26/WA/0138
Date of REC Opinion
27 May 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion