By Laura Michell
Nursery rhymes are ringing out from the children’s ward at The Northern Hospital twice a week as part of a music therapy program.
Music therapy student Georgia Pitts is on placement at the hospital, where she runs nursery rhyme groups and solo sessions for patients and their families in the children’s ward.
Ms Pitts said the sessions provide the families with an opportunity for social interaction and encouraged family bonding.
“The family and patient are encouraged to be active participants, whether that be by singing along to familiar songs, sharing their musical background or playing with percussion instruments that facilitate musical interactions with one another,” Ms Pitts said.
“It can also provide staff and family with the chance to see the healthy and musical self of their child.”
Children’s ward nurse unit manager Courtney Lowry said the music therapy sessions were supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of patients.
“Georgia is having such a positive impact on our patients’ wellbeing and their journey with us and it has been an absolute pleasure having her on the ward. It’s so uplifting to hear the ward filled with her music and the children singing along with her,” she said.
“To see the smiles on the children’s faces … it’s wonderful to see how much it can help with pain management and the emotional state of children and their families.”
