British orchestras have been working in a variety of health settings for over 25 years, these range from work in hospitals, hospital schools and hospices, to care homes, adult day centres, stroke rehabilitation, adults and young people’s mental health services and work with people living with dementia.

In 2025 the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has published two new toolkits, 'A Symphony of Good Sense: An Introduction for Physiotherapists Working with Orchestras Musicians' and 'Supporting Physical Readiness in Orchestral Performance: Guidance for Orchestras'. These toolkits were the result of partnership and collaboration with Help Musicians, BAPAM (British Association for Performing Arts Medicine) and the higher education and performance science sectors to advance the knowledge base in musicians' health and wellbeing in the UK and internationally.

The Royal Academy of Music's research team led by Julian West and Jackie Walduck, have produced an animation: 'Co-creativity and Dementia: the Artists', which illustrates how artists work with people living with dementia. They initially investigated how music and dance, and in particular working through free improvisation, can have a role in supporting the agency of people living with dementia.

In 2023/24 Fiona Harvey, ABO, worked with Sarah Derbyshire (Orchestras Live), Natalie Ellis (Cambridge University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Trust), Matthew Swann (independent consultant) and Laura Waters (University Hospital of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, National Arts in Hospitals Network (NAHN) Co-Chair) on the second survey of ABO member orchestras, looking at their work in the health and social care sectors. The resulting report, ‘Orchestras in Healthcare #2’, is available to download, see below. It includes statistical findings, recommendations and case studies.

The Orchestras in Healthcare working group (named above) is keen to keep abreast of new development and activity that we may not yet be aware of, or that has been initiated since we compiled this report. Please do contact info@abo.org.uk if you have additional information that you think would be of benefit to the sector.

The ABO is a strategic member of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance (CHWA): In 2022 the CHWA published a report of a six-month project funded by the Baring Foundation, to understand how we might help more people and organisations using creativity to support mental health to survive and thrive. The report, ‘From surviving to thriving: Building a model for sustainable practice in creativity and mental health’ is available to download here.