Using the arts to improve people's health - Northumberland aims to take the lead on new initiatives
This is one of four recommendations to come out of the latest annual report by director of public health, Liz Morgan.
The Creative Health document, which was discussed by Northumberland County Council’s health and wellbeing board on August 13, explores improving health and wellbeing through the arts.
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Hide Ad“I really think we’re pushing at an open door to become a beacon nationally, bringing together the arts and health,” Ms Morgan said.
The supporting report explained that ‘engagement in the arts can support people to live healthy lives’, ‘can aid recovery from illness’, ‘can help meet some of the major challenges facing health and social care such as ageing, long-term conditions, loneliness and mental health’ and that ‘investment in the arts can help reduce the financial cost to the NHS and social care’.
The annual report itself highlights supporting evidence from both an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing inquiry in 2017 and a World Health Organisation report from last year.
Cllr Cath Homer, the cabinet member for art and culture, said: “We have got some really excellent case studies in Northumberland, with work that’s been going on for some time now, for example, the Bait project in south-east Northumberland, which gives us the opportunity to showcase real outcomes and the impact on physical and mental health and general wellbeing.”
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Hide AdThe four recommendations are to promote and advocate for the arts as a key element of providing personalised care to improve health and wellbeing; to provide professional development for staff in the health, care and arts sectors; for Northumberland to take a lead role in the development of a North East creative health hub; and for all partners to continue to work together to make art as inclusive as possible and address inequalities.
Cllr Susan Dungworth, the leader of the opposition Labour group, said: “I would love to see Northumberland lead the way in setting up a hub.
“Lots of people don’t necessarily just use resources in their own local-authority area, so getting that message out and sharing those resources would be really helpful.”