alex murdin arts manager alex.murdin@dchft.nhs.uk

Alex Murdin

Arts Manager

alex.murdin@dchft.nhs.uk

A Right Old Song and Dance

numbers

Artists/musicians Sammy Hurden and Tim Laycock

32 one and half hour sessions of music, storytelling, conversation over 3 ½

months

•patient participants: 70

•from Barnes Ward: 55

•from other wards 15

•known dementia: 33

•other conditions: 37

•staff/volunteers directly involved: 4

•indirectly involved: 6 (inc student observers / HCA support)   

A Right Old Song and Dance

evaluation 

•Evaluated through reflective journals by the project team and a survey of staff

•Input from volunteers and carers.

A Right Old Song and Dance

findings / patients

Key findings :

•Patient experience of their hospital stay was enhanced

•Patients were more relaxed / increased their mental, social and physical

activity

•Improved nutritional intake, sleep patterns and encouraged physical exercise.

A Right Old Song and Dance

findings / staff

Key findings :

•Staff empathy for patients was enhanced

•Increased knowledge and insight into the patient’s history

•Created personal narratives for both staff and carers, potentially impacting on

care outside the hospital.

Overall staff believed that the outcomes of the project were positive and that

the programme should be continued – the challenge is to sustain this

involvement over longer periods of time.

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alex.murdin@dchft.nhs.uk