‘Musical hospital’ to provide music as a healing tool for patients

Hospital patients are set to benefit from regular music therapy thanks to a two-year partnership between a local hospital Trust and a group of healthcare musicians, in a bid to use music as a healing tool for patients.

Opus Musicians have been visiting patients at the hospital for several years now and Jo Thornley, Community Involvement Manager at the Trust saw the opportunity to expand on this when she applied to NHS Charities Together for post Covid recovery grant. She applied after noting the positive impact on patients, carers and staff following visits to the hospital by OPUS Music.

Now, the Trust will benefit from visits from OPUS for a further two years, who will also deliver staff training to give colleagues the skills and confidence to include music as part of their daily patient activities.

Jo said: “Following previous OPUS visits there was a marked improvement in the health and wellbeing of patients and carers and staff morale, which is why I made the decision to apply for the funding. I’m extremely excited to build on our partnership over the coming years and continue to look at opportunities to make music a key part of our hospitals, boosting the morale of patients, colleagues and visitors.”

The mission of OPUS music is to use music as a healing tool, and this partnership will see the professional musicians pay regular visits to the wards to make music for, and with, patients and families. As well as this, training and support will be offered to staff so that they can use music as part of their daily routines, enabling them to use music as a tool to improve health and wellbeing in patients.

Mansfield-based Constantina Samara, 33, was on her fifth day in hospital after delivering her first baby at King’s Mill Hospital when OPUS visited the ward she was staying on, giving her an experience she’ll never forget.

She said: “OPUS was my lifeline when in hospital. What should have been a straightforward delivery ended up as a week and a half stay, and I was experiencing a very low moment. I heard this beautiful music in the background and thought I was making it up. Then I saw them through my window and thanked them both and they asked for permission to come into the room and carry on singing. I’ll never forget this moment – they sang to my baby - I think the first song he will ever sing is ‘twinkle, twinkle, little star’.

She continued, “I can’t thank them enough for the change they made in my life on that day. Their music wasn't just two people playing, it was a healing moment for me and my baby. It became a source of hope and happiness, and they gave me the strength to carry on in my journey.”

OPUS recently held their first training session with staff members at the Trust, who will now be able to start using the healing power of music to aid in the recovery of patients. By bringing music to the forefront of patient care, OPUS aim to improve the emotional and physical well-being of everyone in the hospital.

Nick Cutts, CEO of OPUS music, said: “It's a delight to work alongside the varied teams of healthcare professionals at Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, who together share our vision for a musical hospital. By exploring and learning together, we can develop multiple new approaches to integrating music into care.  We look forward to sharing this programme as beacon of excellence for others to follow.”