Music helps neuro-rehabilitation patients

Reader in Psychology Dr David Wilkinson is working with hospital clinicians and ward staff on a project to find a new way of helping patients recover from brain damage by using live music performance.

The collaboration, between academics, clinicians and musicians, was recognised with the runner-up prize in the category for Outstanding Service Innovation at this year’s East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Award Night.

The innovative project took place on the Harvey Neuro-Rehabilitation Ward at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury. The patients, whose conditions include acquired brain injury, low awareness state, tumour and MS, attended twice-weekly interactive live music concerts over a six-week period, performed by professional musicians. The concerts were conducted in the ward’s day room and lasted one hour, including classical, jazz, world and folk music.

For more information, see the full press release.