East Lothian Community Hospital

Find out more about the Green Health projects and activities that are taking place on site

The East Lothian Community Hospital (ELCH) opened it’s doors in 2020 and is based on the grounds of the former Roodlands hospital site which was demolished to make way for the new facility. The hospital has a diverse range of greenspace with purpose built gardens for patients and visitors.

Our activities

Scientific research shows that connecting with nature isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s a powerful boost for physical recovery and mental health. Surrounded by landscaped grounds and therapeutic garden spaces, East Lothian Community Hospital is designed to incorporate nature directly into patient care, staff wellbeing, and visitor experience.

Taking time to step outside and enjoy our green spaces can help:

Sharpen Your Focus: Taking a short walk along the hospital grounds or nearby paths helps clear mental fatigue, restore focus, and rejuvenate during long days.

Calm the Mind: Our peaceful outdoor areas and courtyard gardens provide a quiet sanctuary to naturally lower stress and ease anxiety for patients, visitors, and hospital staff.

Brighten Your Day: Spending time in natural sunlight helps improve mood, supports natural sleep cycles, and creates a welcoming therapeutic environment during recovery.

Strengthen Your Body: Fresh air and outdoor movement support immune function, assist physical rehabilitation, and promote faster healing.

Get involved

Ribbon cutting at the new gardens at East Lothian Community Hospital

What’s on

Find out what’s on at East Lothian this month. Led by our Green Health Team, these activities bridge clinical care with the outdoors to help patients build confidence, mobility and mental resilience.

What’s on now

Meet Louise

Louise Lissman is on-site three days a week to help patients, staff, and volunteers reconnect with nature. As both a trained nurse and professional gardener, she perfectly bridges clinical care and the natural world.

Latest news

Want to see how our outdoor spaces are transforming? Check out our seasonal round-ups to read stories, track our progress, and discover all the creative ways patients, staff, and volunteers are getting involved.

What’s happening on site

We have been working with Dr Sally Gouldstone, botanist, ecologist and founder of Seilich Botanics, to look at the space around the hospital with a view to increasing biodiversity and encouraging more insects and birds to the area.

Plans are underway to develop a Community Garden on the hospital grounds. We are working a local landscape architect to develop the area in front of the hospital into a beautiful, relaxing outdoor space for the whole hospital community to enjoy.