The healing arts

Musician in residence Adrian Garratt
Musician in residence Adrian Garratt has run interactive online sessions for patients and staff

The Trust’s arts programme rb&hArts, supported by the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity and other charitable organisations, delivered a range of creative arts to patients and staff during 2020-21.

Arts programmes can play an important role in healthcare, with research showing correlations with improved clinical outcomes, shortened hospital stays and improved mental wellbeing.

Working together with artists and musicians, the rb&hArts team provided as many group and ward-based activities as possible this year by moving them to online platforms.

Musical activities are central to the programme and cater for patients of all ages. They range from Vocal Beats – a project which brings creative music-making skills to younger patients aged up to 25 – to the flagship Singing for Breathing project which supports people living with chronic lung and heart conditions who experience breathlessness.

Two musicians in residence who usually play music for adult patients ran highly popular interactive online sessions for patients and staff.

The rb&hArts team also supports capital projects, working with colleagues to integrate art into the fabric of buildings and improve outside areas. This year the team has been collaborating with artists, designers and clinical teams to create the best possible interior and patient experience for the new imaging centre, involving patients from the early conceptual stage to ensure needs have been reflected in art and design plans.

The team has also formed new partnerships with external organisations to support wellbeing, including leading on a project to plant 400 tree saplings at Harefield Hospital which were donated by the Woodland Trust.

An Singing for Breathing session
An rb&hArts Singing for Breathing session
Vocal Beats has been collaborating with RB&H Trailblazers
Vocal Beats has been collaborating with RB&H Trailblazers – the Trust’s youth forum – to deliver online group music activities for 13-25-year-olds. This has included a songwriting course in which participants co-write and record their own song and music video. 

 

 

Harefield Healing Garden
Relatives of former Harefield patients co-founded a project to create the new Harefield Healing Garden due to open in spring 2021. One of the founders, Rosie Pope OBE, second left, is pictured above with patient volunteers in the garden which is designed to provide a calming, restorative space to promote physical and mental wellbeing for patients, their families and staff. The project has been supported by Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity.

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