Cheshire Dance in partnership with the Phillip Barker Centre have been working with first year Chester University Nursing degree students for a Creative Health placement. This pioneering project was launched in 2022 following a study into practice and research in the arts in health and social care by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing Inquiry Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing. (Read the report here).

The placement includes weekly workshops and taster sessions in three different arts activities – Dance, Visual Arts and Music. Artists delivering the sessions have experience in facilitating arts in a broad range of health care and community settings, with a particular focus on wellbeing.

Artists from Cheshire Dance deliver a taste of what a typical session might look and feel like for groups in the community – for example, dance and falls prevention, dance and dementia, hospital rehabilitation and dance in disability contexts. To make it further relevant to the nursing coursework, Cheshire Dance artists draw inspiration from elements of anatomy and physiology.

The sessions are designed to be enjoyable, relaxing and fun for the group, to provide an opportunity to consider ‘What do I do for my own wellbeing?’  and why this is essential for individuals preparing for a career in healthcare settings. The sessions also equip students with creative ways to engage with patients and service users.

Students are welcome to engage in gentle movement as part of the session – both seated and standing – to participate in group and partner work and ask questions of the visiting artists about the activity and ways to engage patients/clients in dance and movement for health.

Outcomes from this placement will be shared in due course. If more information is required in the meantime, please contact jody@cheshiredance.org.