Using the creative arts to improve health and well-being in Wolverhampton

Our vision is for the role of creativity and the creative arts to become part of the healthcare delivery across all of the services, sites and patient groups in Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust in order to improve health outcomes.

The Arts Coordinator job roles were created in April 2009 to support the development of arts for health activities across the trust.  They are working in partnership with a wide range of staff and using the creative arts to support the delivery of the trust’s strategic goals.

Ongoing research carried out by professionals working in healthcare settings shows that the creative arts can have a significant role to play in improving health and well-being and developing patient-centred care.

The creative arts can be used in many different ways in our healthcare settings to benefit our patients, staff and service users.  

Through our Arts for Health and Well-being programme, our aims are to:

• to improve the health and well-being of patients, staff and service users
• to aid patient’s recovery
• to improve healthcare environments
• to inspire, engage and inform people of all ages about ways to improve their health and well-being
• to creatively communicate key health messages linked to the Trust’s strategic goals
• to develop positive relationships between health services and the community it serves
• to increase access to our services

As you look through our website section you will see a wide range of projects and programmes planned to improve our patient’s experience of their health-care and enhance the healthcare environment across all trust sites.

We have an evolving programme of community exhibitions within our health centres across the city.  These exhibitions showcase work from our creative health education projects.  These projects focus on inspiring, engaging and informing local people about health and well-being and involving them in creating work which communicates key health messages to others.

The creative arts are being used to aid patients recovery and improve well-being through patient programmes at West Park Rehabilitation Hospital and Penn Hospital.

Creative events, like the ‘Caribbean day’ and ‘Bollywood day’ from our cultural life programme, bring staff, patients, services users and our wider community together and provide opportunities to promote good health, well-being and boost morale.

Our growing partnerships across the city will support us to ensure effective delivery of the Arts for Health and Well-being programme. 

If you would like to find our more or get involved, please contact the Arts Co-ordinators 
e: artscoordinators@wolvespct.nhs.uk
t:  01902 444394 (Facilities department) 
 

The following core values underpin the work of the Arts for Health and Well-being projects and programmes: 

• Patient centred care
• The role of the creative arts to improve health and well-being and to enhance the healthcare environment
• The creativity of staff and services users 
• Creating meaning through involvement
• Empowering and supporting our staff
• Building relationships and developing meaningful partnerships for the whole community
• Supporting local Artists 
• Innovation
• Striving for excellence
• Respect for individuals 
• Openness and transparency in the way we work
• Tackling issues of inequality and gaps in accessibility
• The importance of the ‘creative process’ as well as final outcomes