Using Arts in Health
to Enhance the
Patients Journey
Professor Rory Farrelly
Director of Nursing and Patient Experience
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health
Board
Need for Change
Together for Health
• 5 year vision for the NHS in Wales
Listening and Learning from
Feedback
• 2015 updated following ‘Trusted to
Care’ and ‘Using the Gift of
Complaints’
• 2013 Framework for Assuring
Service User Experience set the
foundation for the above 2015
Framework
Change Foundations
6,045 patients, carers
and staff contributed to
the process through
various events
What Patients Said
What Patients Said
Outcome
Wellbeing of Future Generations Act
“To create a Wales that we all
want to live in, now and in
the future. The Well-being of
Future Generations Act is
about improving the social,
economic, environmental
and cultural well-being of
Wales.”
Seven Wellbeing Goals
Health and Culture Goals
A healthier Wales
“A society in which people’s physical and
mental well-being is maximised and in which
choices and behaviours that benefit future
health are understood.”
A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh
language
“A society that promotes and protects culture,
heritage and the Welsh language, and which
encourages people to participate in the arts,
and sports and recreation.”
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg
Health Board Arts Strategy
Vision
“To incorporate the Arts into everything
we do so that patients, their families
and staff experience excellent care in
excellent Surroundings”
Where we are now
• Thousands of patients have
benefitted from a wide ranging
programme of music,
storytelling, poetry,
dance and visual arts.
Where we are now
• The Arts co-ordinator has also been a
key part of forming a Welsh Arts in
Health Network and has led the writing
of a handbook for Artists who work in
Hospitals. The handbook and
subsequent training has improved the
professionalisation of the field.
Where we are now
• One example of innovation is an
artist residency which brought
together tailors from Saville Row with
plastic surgeons to explore
differences and similarities in their
practices. The project was based in
complex breast reconstruction and
resulted in a model which is now
used to demonstrate surgical options
to women.
Environment Improvement
Environment Improvement
Environment Improvement
Environment Improvement
Environment Improvement
Protect & Share our Heritage
Protect & Share our Heritage
Some Images from ABMU HB Heritage Collection
Sustainability
• Due to the success of the programme the Health
Board will be moving the Arts co-ordinators post to
mainstream funding within patient experience.
• The work is continuing to grow with a newly
appointed capital arts manager funded from capital
projects, a music therapist and choir leader funded
by Nordoff Robbins and two members of staff who
have allocated time in their other jobs to be part of
the Arts team. One is leading the Heritage work and
the other manages the paintings on walls, including
a selling programme of exhibitions.
Sustainability
• Working toward the appointment of a dance coordinator who will lead a dance for falls
prevention project.
• In addition the project group has discovered
that staff are starting to initiate their own arts
projects so that the role of the arts co-ordinator
is becoming mentoring and supporting as well
as initiating and developing.
Experience and Engagement
Evidence enriched practice
In Conclusion
“Without Art” George Bernard
Shaw imagined “the crudeness of
reality would make the world
unbearable. It would be a world
without humanity, hope or love. If
people are unwell or without a
clear role in society, what would
inspire them to keep going, to
believe in themselves or in the
future”?
In Conclusion
Research clearly shows that
engagement in Arts can have direct
and measurable health benefits - our
vision is to make every life worth
living, bringing people together
through shared experiences, shared
understanding and in celebration of
each other.
Thank You