MONDAY, 12 DECEMBER, 2022

Photographs attached - programme participants with Katherine Wren, Lead Artist and David Martin, guest musician

Musical Celebration at Royal Victoria Hospital Stroke Unit

The finale of a music participation programme with patients from the Ward 4 stroke unit was celebrated on Saturday, 10 December at Royal Victoria Hospital.

A collection of musical improvisations created by stroke patients from the Ward 4 stoke rehabilitation unit at Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Dundee was shared with family and friends at the finale of the ST/ART Programme.

ST/ART is an engagement project for stroke participants and is delivered across Tayside. The project is run by Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust (THAT) in association with NHS Tayside and works with other stroke services across Tayside.

Professional musician and Royal Scottish National Orchestra member, Katherine Wren, worked as the lead artist with a number of inpatients over the past two months in a social Saturday morning group. The music making was tailored to suit participant’s abilities and interests. A combination of traditional instruments and percussion alongside electronic equipment with programmable apps allowed everyone to participate.

The group worked collectively exploring different musical styles and melodies using a variety of the instruments provided for different pieces. The social aspect of coming together and sharing music was an important ‘pick me up’ for everyone. A number of participants declared it the highlight of their week and a special opportunity to look forward to. All the sessions were run by Katherine with assistance from the unit’s activities coordinator, Donna Bell and project coordinator, Chris Kelly.

Chris said, “This was a wonderful new addition to the Stroke Inpatient work of the ST/ART Project. It was our first participatory music programme for the inpatient setting and has shown us just how valuable it can be. The weekend group sessions helped build peer support in the unit and the participants discovered many things about each other. The sheer pleasure of making music along with the concentration and satisfaction that comes from playing together contributes to their rehabilitation and it is good for their health and wellbeing.

Katherine said, “I have previously worked with stroke participants in the community but this was a new challenge working with people so early in their recovery journey. We know that they can take huge positives from being creative and I have used instruments and techniques that initially allowed patients to work in a simple but effective way. We have then built people’s confidence and allowed them to develop their interest and ability over the weeks. Everyone has been so enthusiastic and contributed so much. It has been a very happy and enjoyable programme.”

Activities coordinator, Donna Bell said, “This was new approach in the unit and I had a bit of a challenge recruiting patients to get involved. But once they came along to see what it was about, they very quickly wanted to try something. Even the simplest contribution of tapping a tambourine allowed them to be part of the overall music and that was great. Then we had participants on keyboards and bells and iPads and computers as well as the drums and the shakers and with Katherine’s wonderful viola playing we created some beautiful music.

“It’s clear the music programme has helped each individual differently and we have been so impressed with what people have been able to achieve. Being able to share some of that pleasure with family and friends today has been a great finale to the programme. We will all miss it!”

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138