A leading arts and health initiative has helped improve the health and wellbeing of NHS patients, staff and the wider population, a new report confirmed today.
The ‘Arts and Health Coordinator Capacity Building Programme’ introduced and developed arts and health coordinator roles in all seven health boards in Wales.
Projects supporting older people at risk of falls, children and young people living with eating disorders, adults experiencing loneliness and isolation, and NHS staff who have experienced trauma are among the many successes highlighted in the interim evaluation.
The programme was established by the Arts Council of Wales in 2018, amid mounting evidence of the positive impact the arts can have on health and wellbeing. Each health board was invited to apply for three years of seed funding, with the aim that the positions could then become permanent and NHS-funded. Where arts and health coordinator posts already existed, the programme offered health boards the chance to increase their capacity and reach by expanding their arts and health team.
While health boards are all at different stages of their arts and health journey, today’s report evidences the positive contribution of the roles to the physical and mental health of patients and the wider population at various stages of their care – from prevention of illness through to treatment and recovery – as well as staff wellbeing. Findings show the programme has helped build credibility for arts and health work across the health and care system, leading to the delivery of good quality arts and health activity, helping develop arts and health strategies in some health boards, and supporting health board priorities. Dr Clive Grace OBE, of UK Research & Consultancy Services, said: “We were delighted to undertake the evaluation because there is already considerable evidence that the synergy between Arts and Health is capable of generating value across a range of health settings. However, finding ways to stimulate and multiply that value is another matter, and one which depends on crafting an intervention that ‘fits’ with the NHS in Wales, and the way it works, whilst delivering the benefits of creativity and of the experience of the Arts, in all their forms.” Nesta Lloyd–Jones, Assistant Director, Welsh NHS Confederation, said: “The evaluation report evidences the critical role the arts and health coordinators play in supporting the health and wellbeing of the people in Wales.
“Wales is leading the way in embedding the arts across the health service, with a growing understanding of the impact the arts can have in improving health outcomes, countering inequalities and increasing social engagement.
“NHS leaders recognise that the arts need to be part of the solution in responding to the demands across the system now and in the future. We must work with partners across sector boundaries to provide person-centred care”.
Sally Lewis, Programme Manager for Arts, Health and Wellbeing at the Arts Council of Wales, said: “Having an arts and health coordinator in every health board is a unique asset of the NHS in Wales and one that deserves to be championed and secured for the future. Acting as a bridge between the arts and health worlds, they are perfectly placed to understand current health priorities and respond with arts activities that support the health and wellbeing of patients, staff and communities.
“We welcome this important report which illustrates the significant success, impact and cost-effectiveness of the Capacity Building programme to date. We particularly want to thank the arts and health coordinators for their superb commitment and pioneering work as we reflect on the report’s recommendations to further strengthen the programme. This report inspires us to explore with our health board partners how we can now mainstream these roles as permanent NHS posts so that we can maximise the powerful contribution the arts can make to people’s health and wellbeing across Wales.” ‘
Evaluation of the Arts and Health Coordinator Capacity Building Programme’ can be accessed in full here:
Click to access Arts-and-Health-Coordinator-Programme-Evaluation-Report.pdf
For more information, or to interview Sally Lewis, please contact 029 2044 1344 or e-mail comms@arts.wales. Alternatively, contact Nesta Lloyd-Jones on 07884 233 935.
More information about the work and impact of the Arts for Health and Wellbeing Programme at Cardiff & Vale Health Charity can be found through this video:
Adroddiad newydd yn dangos bod swyddi celfyddydol ac iechyd o fewn y GIG yn gwella lles cleifion a staff
Cadarnhaodd adroddiad newydd heddiw fod menter flaenllaw y celfyddydau ac iechyd wedi helpu i wella iechyd a lles cleifion y GIG, staff a’r boblogaeth ehangach.
Cyflwynodd y Rhaglen Adeiladu Gallu ymhlith Cydlynwyr y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd swyddi cydlynu ym maes y celfyddydau ac iechyd ym mhob un o’r saith bwrdd iechyd yng Nghymru.
Ymhlith y llwyddiannau niferus a amlygwyd yn y gwerthusiad dros dro mae prosiectau sy’n cefnogi pobl hŷn sydd mewn perygl o syrthio, plant a phobl ifanc sy’n byw gydag anhwylderau bwyta, oedolion sy’n profi unigrwydd ac unigedd, a staff y GIG sydd wedi profi trawma.
Roedd y rhaglen wedi’i sefydlu gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yn 2018 o ganlyniad i dystiolaeth gynyddol o’r effaith gadarnhaol y gall y celfyddydau ei chael ar iechyd a lles. Gwahoddwyd pob bwrdd iechyd i wneud cais am dair blynedd o gyllid hedyn, gyda’r nod y gallai’r swyddi fynd yn rhai parhaol gydag arian y GIG. Lle roedd swyddi cydlynwyr y celfyddydau ac iechyd eisoes yn bodoli, roedd y rhaglen yn cynnig cyfle i fyrddau iechyd gynyddu eu gallu a’u cyrhaeddiad drwy ehangu eu tîm ym maes y celfyddydau ac iechyd.
Er bod byrddau iechyd i gyd ar wahanol gyfnodau ar eu taith gelfyddydol ac iechyd, mae adroddiad heddiw yn dangos tystiolaeth o gyfraniad cadarnhaol y swyddi at iechyd corfforol a meddyliol cleifion a’r boblogaeth yn ehangach ar wahanol gamau o’u gofal – o atal salwch hyd at driniaeth ac adferiad – yn ogystal ag at les y staff.
Mae canfyddiadau’n dangos bod y rhaglen wedi codi hygrededd y celfyddydau ac iechyd ar draws y system iechyd a gofal, gan arwain at ddarparu gweithgareddau ym maes y celfyddydau ac iechyd o ansawdd da a helpu i ddatblygu strategaethau ym maes y celfyddydau ac iechyd mewn rhai byrddau iechyd a chefnogi blaenoriaethau’r byrddau iechyd.
Meddai Dr Clive Grace OBE, o Wasanaethau Ymchwil ac Ymgynghori y Deyrnas Unedig: “Roeddem yn falch iawn o gynnal y gwerthusiad oherwydd bod tystiolaeth sylweddol eisoes yn dangos bod gwerth o ran cyd-weithio rhwng y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd i allu cynhyrchu gwerth mewn amrywiaeth o leoliadau iechyd. Fodd bynnag, mae dod o hyd i ffyrdd o ysgogi a lluosi’r gwerth hwnnw’n fater arall, ac un sy’n dibynnu ar saernïo ymyrraeth sy’n gweddu i’r GIG yng Nghymru, a’r ffordd y mae’n gweithio, wrth gyflawni manteision creadigrwydd ac o gynnig profi’r Celfyddydau yn eu holl ffurfiau.”
Dywedodd Nesta Lloyd–Jones, Cyfarwyddwr Cynorthwyol, Cydffederasiwn GIG Cymru: “Mae’r adroddiad gwerthuso yn dystiolaeth o’r swyddogaeth hollbwysig mae cydlynwyr y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd yn ei chwarae i gefnogi iechyd a lles y bobl yng Nghymru.
“Mae Cymru’n arwain y ffordd o ran gwreiddio’r celfyddydau ar draws y gwasanaeth iechyd, gyda dealltwriaeth gynyddol o’r effaith y gall y celfyddydau ei chael wrth wella canlyniadau iechyd, gwrthsefyll anghydraddoldeb a chynyddu ymgysylltiad cymdeithasol.
“Mae arweinwyr y GIG yn cydnabod bod angen i’r celfyddydau fod yn rhan o’r ateb wrth ymateb i’r gofynion ar draws y system yn awr ac yn y dyfodol. Rhaid i ni weithio gyda phartneriaid ar draws ffiniau’r sector i ddarparu gofal sy’n canolbwyntio ar yr unigolyn”.
Meddai Sally Lewis, Rheolwr Rhaglen y Celfyddydau, Iechyd a Llesiant yng Nghyngor Celfyddydau Cymru: “Mae cael cydlynydd y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd ym mhob bwrdd iechyd yn ased unigryw i’r GIG yng Nghymru ac yn un sy’n haeddu cael ei hyrwyddo a’i sicrhau yn y dyfodol. Mae cydlynwyr mewn sefyllfa berffaith i ddeall blaenoriaethau iechyd presennol ac ymateb gyda gweithgareddau sy’n cefnogi iechyd a lles cleifion, staff a chymunedau.
“Rydym am ddiolch yn arbennig i’r cydlynwyr celfyddydau ac iechyd am eu hymrwymiad gwych a’u gwaith arloesol wrth i ni ystyried argymhellion yr adroddiad i gryfhau’r rhaglen ymhellach. Mae’r adroddiad hwn yn ein hysbrydoli i archwilio gyda phartneriaid yn ein byrddau iechyd sut y gallwn yn awr brif ffrydio’r swyddi hyn fel swyddi parhaol yn y GIG fel y gall y celfyddydau wneud y cyfraniad mwyaf grymus posibl at iechyd a lles pobl ledled Cymru.”
Gellir gweld ‘Gwerthuso Rhaglen Adeiladu Gallu ymhlith Cydlynwyr y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd’ yn llawn yma:
https://cardiffandvale.art/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Arts-and-Health-Coordinator-Programme-Evaluation-Report.pdf
Am fwy o wybodaeth, neu i gyfweld â Sally Lewis, ffoniwch 029 2044 1344 neu anfonwch e-bost at cyfathrebu@celf.cymru. Fel arall, cysylltwch â Nesta Lloyd-Jones ar 07884 233 935.
