Astley Ainslie Hospital, NHS Lothian

Astley Ainslie Hospital

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

The Astley Ainslie Hospital provides rehabilitation services for adults with acquired brain injury, stroke, orthopaedic injuries, limb amputation, and progressive neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as outpatient/community based programmes for chronic pain, cardiac rehabilitation and angina management. As well as providing a range of services for its patients, it represents a considerable community asset and a significant place for nature.

Astley Ainslie Greenspace Management Plan

Find out more about how the plan aims to enhance the therapeutic environment at Astley Ainslie by improving the landscape that can be used by patients and nursing staff to aid recovery as well as how it will support NHS Lothian to meet its climate change and biodiversity commitments.

Find out more

What’s happening on site

Rehabilitation Ranger Aisling Murphy

Aisling Murphy has joined us for 3 days a week as our Nature Rehabilitation Ranger at Astley Ainslie. She originally trained as a nurse, and has worked in social care. She has been a freelance gardener since 2016 and wellness nature guide more recently. She has also run her own volunteer group and done a wide variety of volunteering with people and wildlife over the years. She enjoys connecting people with nature and seeing the physical and mental health benefits this brings them. She thinks this role is ideal for her as she will be using the skills from all her previous roles. She will be working with patients staff and the community.

Get in touch: [email protected]

“I’m really looking forward to bringing nature into peoples lives and increasing the biodiversity on site. Its a privilege to work on such a beautiful site.”

Join Aisling for some seasonal nature-based activities this November.

Patients and staff have been really keen to learn more about the birds, find out more about what we can do in winter to get us outdoors and explore what the site has to offer. From light gardening to mindfulness sessions and wildlife workshops, there’s lots coming up.

Find out what’s on by visiting our Green Health Activities at Astley Ainslie page.

Outside the reception area of the SMART Centre. There are two benches on a patioed area with a planters and an area of newly planted flowers and greeneryGarden designer, Krystina Barko, has led a project to reinvigorate the planted areas around the entrance to the SMART Centre. Previously, these areas were unmanageable and mono-cultural, with limited biodiversity. There are nine different services based within the SMART Centre (over 100 staff members) with over 25,000 outpatient appointments per year. Krystina has consulted with staff and the SMART Patient Focus Public Involvement Group in creating the planting scheme. Cleared by the NHS Lothian grounds maintenance team, the area now has a diverse range of native species, encouraging pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Learn more…

 

Plants in between paths with a combination of trees and plantsWe are pleased to share with you the update of the courtyard refurbishment at Woodlands House. In collaboration with the Work Well team, we have revitalised this space for both staff and patients to use. The courtyard, once overgrown with bushes and broken furniture, has been transformed with new planting and upcycled furniture, making it an inviting space.

Landscape Designer, Krystina Barko, in consultation with staff and patient groups, has created a design featuring ‘rooms’, distinct areas which can be used individuals and small groups alike. The diversity of plants has been significantly improved, introducing species that stimulate the senses and attract pollinating insects, adding both beauty and ecological value to the courtyard. The newly regenerated space is now ready to be enjoyed by all. Learn more…

planting of the cherry tree avenues running from Blackford Pavilion towards the Occupational Therapy buildingThe Edinburgh 1 million trees project has kindly donated sixty semi-mature, specimen trees to the Charity for a number of sites. This includes eighteen flowering cherries that have been used to reinstate the cherry tree avenues running from Blackford Pavilion towards the Occupational Therapy building and around the Scientific block running towards the South Oswald Street entrance. Planting will commenced from November, complementing the single cherry planted by staff at the 100th anniversary celebration day. Seven apple trees are also being planted to supplement the existing orchard situated beside the consultants’ bungalow.

The planting of trees is an output outlined in the Green Space Management plan for the site which we will continue to implement, including the creation of the first wildflower meadows, which have been agreed with the gardening team but not yet implemented.

spring bulbs - creative commons license to Aaron BurdenThe Grounds and Gardens team worked hard to tidy up the grounds of  the Hospital in time for its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2023. They planted hundreds of spring-flowering bulbs (crocus; daffodils; narcissi and tulips) which will bloom across the site in the spring. This will create greater visual interest and improve the biodiversity across the site.

The planting of bulbs is an output outlined in the Green Space Management plan for the site which we will continue to implement, including the creation of the first wildflower meadows, which have been agreed with the gardening team but not yet implemented.

Discover walking routes from the hospital with the Go Jauntly

Find new walking tours based on your location. Simple photo guides help you navigate while nifty tips point out things of interest. Sign up to walking challenges or enjoy green routes from A to B or circular walking routes. Take pictures, add details that other people may find useful and share with the growing community.

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4 people walking along a path holding tea mugs