Following a number of successful pilot projects throughout the hospital, the hospital arts team ‘air’ are now setting up a music residency in King’s Lodge to observe the impact of participatory music making on patients with neurological issues.

Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, percussionist Richard Kensington will visit the ward to deliver music sessions from January – April 2012.  This project has been developed as a partnership between the hospital arts team, the healthcare staff and the musician in order to ensure the greatest impact.

Pilot projects have shown participatory music making to be an effective approach in encouraging initiation, speech and improving patient wellbeing, particularly through drumming and singing.  Twice a week, patients will be invited to join in with music sessions for a period of 10 weeks with musical activities being tailored to individual patient needs.  Patients will be regularly assessed to note any clinical changes as a result of the project.

Tim Hardman (speech and language therapist from King’s Lodge) says ‘We are really looking forward to working in partnership with Richard and Laura on this new and exciting project and to bring music into the ward on such a regular basis.  We are really excited about the opportunity of looking at the clinical impact this could have on patients.’