Music for Dementia

The Power of Music steering group release joint letter to all candidates ahead of UK election

The Power of Music Consortium  group has released a joint open letter calling on all candidates to commit to utilise music to improve health, wellbeing and communities. The letter highlights the important economic contribution music can make to a thriving society and its potential to help save the NHS money.

You can read the full letter here.

The key asks are:

  1. Maintain music a key part of the social prescribing agenda.
  2. Build on the Power of Music Fund financial model, combining public funds with those from philanthropy and business, to widen access to music-based support and gather data on the health impacts and the scale of financial savings to the NHS.
  3. Work with music and health organisations to develop a national training and education strategy that encompasses:
    • Increased music tuition for children and young people at school. This should include training and recruiting 1,000 more music teachers, the delivery of an arts pupil premium and an increase in funding for Music Education Hubs.
    • Training for musicians in how to use music therapeutically.
    • Give relevant frontline health and care professionals musical techniques and resources that help make it easier to provide person-centred care.
  4. Partner with the music industry and wellbeing sector to raise public awareness of the therapeutic power of music so they can incorporate it into healthy lifestyles.
  5. Appoint a coordinating role within the Cabinet Office to embed music across arts, health and education policy and harness its full health and money-saving potential for the nation.

The Consortium’s work has shown the value of music if used effectively, with the Power of Music Fund and the launch of the Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia this year demonstrating innovative funding models and partnership working to help people living with conditions such as dementia and provide stability to musicians.

Tom Kiehl, Interim Chief Executive of UK Music and Chair of the Power of Music Consortium, said:

“In this critical moment before the election, we are calling on all candidates to commit to our asks and help to unleash the power of music across healthcare, education and within our communities.

“This would build on 2022’s Power of Music report and complements recommendations made by UK Music in its recent manifesto and open letter to the political parties.

“We see music as an under-utilised asset that can help drive economic growth across the country if harnessed effectively.

“The next Government must recognise the incredible work being done in this area already by countless organisations and enable further progress by working with us to harness music’s unique and far-reaching impact.”

If you would like to share your support for the open letter and sign up to the Power of Music, please sign up via this link: https://mailchi.mp/eb128b40c817/the-power-of-music or email ellen@utleyfoundation.org.uk.