About us
Oxford Health Arts Partnership (OHAP) is an award-winning programme that delivers Creative Health using Art and Nature, across all areas of the Trust.
It is supported by Oxford Health Charity (Registered Charity No: 1057285) or through external grants, such as from the National Lottery Community Fund.
Some projects may only last for an afternoon or a day, but they also produce artwork that leaves a lasting legacy in spaces around the trust.
The team
The OHAP programme is delivered by three members of staff alongside a team of freelance artists and volunteers.
Tom Cox, Arts Project Manager
Tom has been the Arts Project Manager at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust since 2012. He has worked in the NHS for nearly 20 years delivering arts projects at all the major hospitals in Oxfordshire. He is a visual artist but has experience working with all art forms.
Angela Conlan, Arts Project Lead
Angela has worked for the trust since 2017, initially delivering on the Creating with Care programme at Community Hospitals but has expanded her role as the partnership has strengthened. Angela is an expert in dance and movement and has a wealth of experience in community arts.
Laura McCarthy, Green Spaces Co-ordinator
Laura joined the trust in November 2023 to increase green space engagement across the Trust for health and well-being. Staff and service user engagement sessions will enable the co-production and design of ward gardens and wider grounds for people and planet. Laura is an experienced horticulturalist and landscape architect.
The importance of the arts in healthcare settings
The number of ways creativity can affect our health is constantly expanding and the evidence for the impact of the arts in healthcare settings has grown significantly over the last few years.
Nationally the NHS and social care are beginning to acknowledge the significant role that creativity can play in promoting our health and wellbeing.
What do we do?
The theme of our Vision 2021 – 2026 is, ‘Inspiring recovery, wellbeing and growth through creativity.’
Key objectives:
- Grow: Develop OHAP through collaboration, co-production and partnerships
- Research: Actively engage and lead on research to demonstrate the impact of arts on health
- Understand: Raise awareness of the benefits of arts interventions in healthcare settings
- Production: To contribute to the recovery and experience of service users/ patients/clients and the health and wellbeing of those in contact with Trust services.
- Inspire: To innovate and inspire creativity within healthcare
Annual Reports
Click here for the Oxford Health Arts Partnership Annual Report 2023
Click here for the Oxford Health Arts Partnership Annual Report 2022
What difference does it make?
Feedback shows that people who engaged with an arts project had a 48 per cent increase in mood.
Here is some feedback from projects:
“Tom’s visits make me feel happy, I look at the drawings all week and they help me remember.”
“It’s marvellous. It opens your eyes to something new, it’s a stimulant, he teaches about colour, it’s so positive.”
Feedback from staff:
“Our patients have loved this project as they like the engagement. Staff are so busy, but we love to see them participating and that they can revisit their memories.”
“[The artwork] helps when they have visitors, it’s a real conversation starter and gives them something to talk about. Some give the drawings to their relatives as a gift.
Page last reviewed: 8 July, 2024