Stepping Hill Hospital’s intensive care unit has become one of the first in the country to use live music to help patients.

The Music In Hospitals charity have been playing in patient wards across the country for many years, and are now going into intensive care and high dependency units (ICUs and HDUs) which treat severely and critically ill patients.

The new ‘ICU-Hear’ project uses musicians experienced in providing gentle and soothing music, and they move around the patients beds to play at the bedside. This allows them to sensitively respond to the needs of the patients, relatives and staff and enables them to choose appropriate music for their condition and likes.

Evaluation from the charity so far shows that 99% respondents (patients, visitors and staff) on the intensive and high dependency units said they enjoyed listening to the music.

Gerol Williams, intensive care nurse ward manager at Stepping Hill Hospital  said, “We do our very best to care for our patients, but if you’re severely ill in an intensive or high dependency unit it can be a stressful experience, leaving you anxious and weak. Many of us know how calming and relaxing it can be to listen to a beautiful piece of music. We’re so pleased that Music in Hospitals have been able to give our patients these soothing sounds to help them through difficult times.”

The musicians have now visited Stepping Hill Hospital unit’s twice, playing melodies on clarinet and kora (West African harp) respectively for patients, with plans for further visits. This is in addition to visits for over a year to other wards at Stepping Hill Hospital, including wards with patients with dementia. 

Sid Richards, regional director of Music in Hospitals North said, "Since 1948 Music in Hospitals has been providing professionally performed live music sessions in all kinds of healthcare settings but it is only in the past few months that we have delivered these concerts to patients in intensive care. The feedback from patients, staff and family members has been phenomenal and the charity is working hard to take these sessions to ICUs all over the UK."