OPO Hospitals Project – Nov & Dec 2019

A large part of our outreach work includes our hospitals series, in which OPO musicians visit hospitals in Oxford in a project offering participative workshops to patients. Our latest series took place in November and December 2019 at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Cherwell Ward (Fulbrook Centre), and the Tarver Ward Renal Unit (Churchill Hospital).

Tony Robb (Project Team Leader): Another successful afternoon in the hospital project. A massive attendance at the NOC (upwards of 18 patients plus staff and relatives) and a very enthusiastic response. The Cherwell Ward was also very busy. One lady commented that she had “learnt more about music in the last 40 minutes than she had in her whole life.”

The Tarver Unit has the most consistent number of patients, many of whom we have seen before as they have to attend three times a week. C told us he was “feeling low but looked forward to the music soothing him.”

“L has been very unhappy for a number of weeks. This was the first time I have seen her smile and be engaged in an activity.”

Issy (Occupational Therapist) – Cherwell Ward

“I love classical music and listen to classic FM all the time. I last went to an orchestra concert (Reading symphony orchestra) when I was 14 or 15 and never thought I’d be with an orchestra again.”

A (Patient) – Nuffield Orthopedic Centre

Read more about our community & education work here.