by Author artfeltcharlotte

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Live music sessions at The Sheffield Children's Hospital, the story so far...

 

In May 2018, we launched monthly live music sessions at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital, kindly funded by Youth Music, managed by Artfelt and facilitated by musicians Brightside Music.

 Over the past nine months I have personally seen how music has positively transformed the wards and waiting areas around the hospital.Our young patients and their families have had the opportunity to engage in playing music and listening to live performance during their hospital stay, which has enhanced their patient experience. 

Since the programme began we now regularly see patients and their families playing instruments and having impromptu jam sessions in our waiting areas and wards.  Staff have commented that these musical interactions have enriched the patient experience. 

One nurse reflected: “My patient had been waiting all morning, so boredom and anxiety had hit. Being involved with playing music has alleviated that feeling, it’s distracted her completely. Not only has it distracted her it’s given her positive memories of her time here and when she comes back she will be less anxious.”

 Our musicians have worked brilliantly to adapt to the needs of our patients; creating an inclusive environment where every young person is given the opportunity to have a musical experience.  They quickly and easy move around our hospital site, visiting patients in isolation; bringing music to bedsides, to creating jam sessions on the wards and exciting and delighting patients, families and staff with their interactive performances in waiting areas.

 Artfelt has been very happy with the success of the project so far and we look to the future to find new opportunities to expand the musical provision for our patients at The Sheffield Children’s Hospital. We are very grateful for the funding given to us by Youth Music and the musical opportunities this has created for our young patients.