Creative health programme to launch across NHS England

A new programme across the NHS in England will work to embed creativity in the health and care system.

Funded by Arts Council England and delivered by the National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH), the Creative Health Associates Programme aims to 'foster the conditions for creative health to be integral to health and care'.

A statement from the NCCH said the programme will endeavour to 'demonstrate the power of culture and creativity to benefit the lives of individuals and communities'.

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Arts Council England will invest £600,000 in the programme over 18 months.

NCCH will be recruiting a Creative Health Associate for each of the NHS regions in England, as well as a manager to coordinate the programme across the country.

Building connections

The Creative Health Associates, who will be contracted until September 2024, will be working across the health and care systems in each of the seven NHS regions.

Associates will be tasked with developing a deeper understanding of NHS priorities and how creative health practices can help deliver these.

They will build connections between artists and health professionals, while also mapping current provision and identifying gaps and needs in their area.

Building a database of local knowledge and identifying potential partners for creative health work is another key aspect of the role.

During the 18-month programme, Associates will be expected to share information and learning publicly via webinars and podcasts.

Social prescribing

The Associates will work with regional teams from the National Academy for Social Prescribing to develop the cultural sector’s role in this initiative.

Mental health is another priority. Each Associate will have a £5,000 budget to deliver creative activities co-produced with mental health service users. 

The long-term sustainability of creative health practices across the NHS will also be addressed.

Associates will be tasked with exploring possible future funding for activity, while also making plans for work beyond September 2024.

Significant investment

Lord Howarth of Newport, Chair of the NCCH, described the ACE funding as a “significant investment" that would "help grow and spread creative health across the country".

He added: "We hear profoundly moving stories and compelling research about the benefits of creativity for the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities, but too often access to cultural and creative opportunities is not there for those who need them most." 

ACE Chief Executive Darren Henley said: "Linking creative activities with healthcare can give doctors, nurses and other practitioners powerful new tools to improve the wellbeing of the people they care for.

"We're excited to continue our work in the growing field of creative health as a partner of organisations such as NCCH."

The ACE funding follows the announcement last July of its Creative Health and Wellbeing plan, which described creative health and wellbeing as having a 'role to play at every level of public health'. 

The NCCH was set up as a registered charity in 2020 with the aim of making creative health an integral part of the health and social care systems.