arts and health
In this article, Brenda Longstaff, head of the arts and patient environment programme at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, provides some insight into its approach to arts in health
Feeding the soul A
rt matters. It matters because people – patients, staff and families – are not machines and so staring at white walls and barren corridors can be somewhat demoralising. It is a hard, but inescapable, truth that in most healthcare environments people are reminded of physical frailty, of vulnerability and, sadly, of pain. But art can counteract these thoughts. Done right, art will foster a positive
environment; feeding the soul and inspiring hope in the mind.
Feeling the squeeze Every NHS organisation faces a squeeze on its finances, and all too often ‘art’ is an easy item to strike from the budget. However, with careful planning – often months or years in advance – it is possible to incorporate art into wider programmes of works.
The other critical factor is to reassure clinical teams and the wider public that such funding isn’t ‘taking away’ from core services.
And it helps to start small. Though Northumbria Healthcare covers 11 acute sites, and one of the largest geographies of any English NHS trust;
we chose to start at just one site: North Tyneside General Hospital. This enabled us to find our feet and learn what was possible and what wasn’t. The demands of a busy hospital – fire safety, infection control etc – are not the same as most other locations, and we had a steep learning curve to climb. In each case, we start by identifying fixed locations for art displays and then we install high-quality, secure, frames in a range of sizes.
This allows for flexibility and for displays to be refreshed easily and without damaging the building. We also learnt quickly not to use cheap materials. They don’t last and it’s a false economy.
Laying the foundations Flash forward 20 years and thousands of different pictures, paintings, and other forms of art have now been displayed on the various sites.
And, armed with our charitable status
we are able to forge deep and lasting links with local painting clubs, photographers, schools, colleges and craft associations.
Having laid the foundation, we could move onto larger enterprises, funded through charitable donations, the Arts Council, and legacies. One of our finest projects to date – and one that has had the largest direct impact on patients and their families – is the ‘Oasis’ at Wansbeck General Hospital. Developed in partnership with
Teesside University’s School of Interior Design, it offers a place of calm and tranquillity; often at moments of
48
healthcaredm.co.uk
extraordinary stress or horrific heartache for families. It’s not all been smooth sailing, though. In addition to budget issues, art is without doubt subjective and everyone has, and is entitled to, their often- strongly-held opinions. Working with staff is critical to
overcoming this and to the long-term success of any arts programme. Equally, it is important to take on
board feedback from patient and carer groups; especially in sensitive areas. With the wellbeing agenda rising in
prominence, and with the emergence of social prescribing into the mainstream; I am confident that, with planning and a little luck, art will form part of the NHS’s toolkit in years to come.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57
