Arts Coordinator

We all know that NHS services improve and save lives. What is not as widely known is that the arts can also make a powerful contribution to health and wellbeing.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Arts Coordinator to join us for a 12-month period and help us demonstrate the importance of the arts when it comes to healthcare.

Our Arts Coordinator will need to hit the ground running and be able to demonstrate the impact of the projects they lead, develop and commission, as well as build relationships with staff, partners, projects teams and artists.

In return, the Arts Coordinator will have the freedom to explore and develop ideas alongside a passionate Arts Steering Group. We also offer great flexibility and the chance to make a real difference - you will often be supporting people during a time of need, as well as supporting staff wellbeing while we continue to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Arts Coordinator is responsible for the development, implementation and review of Mid Cheshire Hospitals’ arts programme, which will use art in all its forms to benefit patient care, improve staff wellbeing, and enhance hospital environments.

The Coordinator will use their specialist knowledge to manage arts-based projects from concept to completion, working alongside artists and key stakeholders (such as staff) throughout to ensure each project is professional, inclusive and has impact.

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) provides good quality, safe and effective healthcare to the people of Cheshire and beyond. The Trust, which manages Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford, was established as an NHS Trust in April 1991 and became a Foundation Trust in April 2008.

We employ almost 5,000 members of staff, provide around 540 hospital beds, with a range of services including accident and emergency, maternity, outpatients, therapies, and children's health.

The Trust is also part of Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership (CCICP), a unique local health partnership that provides a range of community services for people across South Cheshire and Vale Royal.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Trust was recognised nationally for its ‘Be Safe Be EquiPPEd’ campaign, which aimed to make the Trust as safe as possible for staff and patients, through supporting the correct use of PPE.

The results in the 2020 national NHS Staff Survey showed improvements in all elements of the safety culture theme, with 92% of respondents feeling their role made a difference to our patients. We were also recognised nationally for our workforce health and wellbeing initiatives.

At Mid Cheshire, we value our staff and appreciate that in order to give our patients the best quality, compassionate care, we also need to look after our colleagues.
- Lead on the development and implementation of an arts programme that delivers evidence-based projects that are responsive and innovative
- Explore the creation and development of an art asset register to effectively manage any pieces displayed across Trust sites
- Provide timely, efficient and effective administrative support for the Trust’s arts programme and Arts Steering Group
- Engage with professional artists and staff/patient groups on arts-based projects
- Explore ongoing and sustainable opportunities for staff to engage with the arts in order to improve their wellbeing
- Develop excellent working relationships with arts-related charities and organisations in the region, identifying and developing any opportunities to work together for the benefit of staff and/or patients (including promoting any opportunities for staff involvement)
- Produce, as required, update reports on the arts programme and/or individual projects to various internal and external committees
- Produce evaluation reports for each project that identify any return on investment, impact on key stakeholders, etc.
- Implement and develop art schemes internally and externally, making presentations to small and large groups of stakeholders that will encourage and persuade them to show support for the arts programme
- Dependent on experience, offer an arts programme/classes to staff using any existing skills and knowledge of a particular art form
- Supervise members of the Arts Steering Group and junior staff, such as work experience students and volunteers, ensuring that work is appropriately prioritised, providing support, advice and guidance to help others learn and develop in their role