Music on the wards

6 MAY 2024

Patients at York Hospital are discovering the healing power of live music.

Staff have witnessed the notable benefits of musicians playing for patients receiving treatments on wards throughout the hospital.

York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity fund a programme which allows musicians to play regularly on wards.  The music provides distraction, opportunities for interaction and creates an uplifting atmosphere, which helps improve mood and aid recovery.

The musicians, who are co-ordinated by the Hospital’s Arts Team, perform for visitors to the hospital and regularly perform at key events. The impact has given the hospital a huge boost with visitors remarking they provide a ‘ray of sunshine’.

York Hospital’s Arts Team decided to ask for funding from the charity to pursue regular performances from the musicians throughout the hospital including in Palliative Care.  The team witnessed the benefits of how patients’ wellbeing altered in the Dementia Ward and in Stroke Rehabilitation and urged for it to be launched across all areas of the hospital.

The charity funds two musicians, Chris Bertram on guitar and Sarah Dean on Celtic harp.  They have the expertise and experience to gauge the mood of a ward, interact sensitively with a wide range of patients and respond with a large repertoire of music. 

Harpist Sarah Dean plays her instrument to patients on the hospital’s Respiratory Ward and sees firsthand how music brightens and soothes patients.

“After I had played a gentle folk song, a patient said that her breathing had slowed down and she felt really relaxed and breathed in time to the music and let it calm her.” 

Reflecting on his performing Chris Bertram explained: “It feels a very special honour and privilege to be allowed to bring a couple of songs into these settings where visitors are sitting with patients approaching end of life.”