Our knowledge of the ways that creativity can affect health is constantly expanding, nationally the NHS and social care are beginning to acknowledge the significant role that creativity can play in promoting our health and wellbeing, and the evidence for the impact of the arts in healthcare has grown significantly since the All-Party Parliamentary Groups inquiry report, Creative Health which was published five years ago.

In line with the national work taking place around arts and health, Oxford Health Arts Partnership, are constantly evaluating and improving our work at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

We are now happy to share a brief review of the outcomes of the Oxford Health Arts: AiR- ‘Artists in Residence’ project based in Witney Community hospital, specifically from January – May 2022.

airartistevaluationjan-may2022witney.pdf

The short project review, written by Claire Murray, looked at the impact of ‘Oxford Health Arts: AiR’ which places professional Artists in community hospital wards alongside clinical staff. 

The project was funded by Oxford Health Charity and West Oxfordshire District Council. The report concludes that supporting this pioneering initiative is helping to sustain a very special project which brings huge benefit to the local community hospital, its staff and patients and the development of local artists and is also supporting cutting edge development of the application of the Arts in a Health setting at a grass roots level.