Recognising how valuable The Arts can be in improving health outcomes as well as promoting health and wellbeing in the wider community, this NSW Health and The Arts Framework enables the NSW Health system to maximise the benefits of integrating The Arts into the design and delivery of health services, and health messaging.
The framework has three integrated elements:
The NSW Health and The Arts Information Exchange, hosted by the Agency for Clinical Innovation’s Innovation Exchange, supports the NSW Health system in implementing the NSW Health and The Arts Framework.
It provides Guidelines for Designing and Managing Arts Programs in NSW Health Services and Facilities (under development), Fact Sheets, links to key Australian and international resources and provides a platform to share leading practice across NSW.
In November 2015 the NSW Minister for Health announced a Taskforce on Health and The Arts to provide advice on how to both encourage and better integrate The Arts into healthcare services, activities and facilities across the whole of NSW Health.
The taskforce led a wide-ranging policy and evidence review, and community consultation. On 29 April 2016, the taskforce provided a comprehensive report to the NSW Minister for Health, The Path Forward, Partnering Arts to Health.
The key recommendations of the taskforce have been adopted as part of this unique NSW Health and The Arts Framework.
Recognising the hundreds of individuals as well as arts, health and community organisations that generously contributed knowledge, experience and expertise to the work of the taskforce, the taskforce report reflects this and includes:
For further information on this initiative, please contact the NSW Ministry of Health by emailing arts@doh.health.nsw.gov.au.