Art in Healthcare’s Director Vanessa Paynton has been part of a National Arts in Hospital Network [NAHN] Steering Group for the last twelve months that has been creating guidance for anyone interested in running a hospital arts programme. The guidance was launched today in London.
This is the first comprehensive web-based guidance for establishing and managing hospital arts programmes across the UK at University College London Hospitals (UCLH). The new toolkit provides evidence-based framework for embedding high-quality arts interventions in every hospital to improve patient care and staff wellbeing.
The toolkit comprises 6 comprehensive guidance documents, 16 inspirational case studies from UK hospital arts programmes, and 14 practical tools and templates for immediate application. Key areas include:
- Governance: Foundational management and funding guidance
- Strategy: Planning arts programmes aligned with NHS priorities
- Evaluation: Understanding value and impact through effective assessment
- Collection Management: Starting and developing hospital art collections
- Art and Environment: Integrating art into healthcare spaces
- Participatory Arts: Engaging patients and staff in creative activities
The guidance addresses NAHN’s mission for every hospital in the UK to engage staff and patients through arts to promote health and wellbeing, supporting both newcomers and experienced practitioners.
The complete guidance is available as a free download at www.nahn.org.uk/arts-in-hospitals-guidance
2 July 2025 by
Amy Miles