Giving concert tickets to people with long-term illnesses, no drugs, says secretary of health

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By Andy Malt | Posted on Wednesday November 7th, 2018

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has brought some of her former role as Secretary of Culture, arguing that the NHS should prescribe concert tickets, rather than drugs, to people with chronic illnesses.

Speaking at an event hosted by think tank King Fund, the health think tank, Mr Hancock argued that over-consumption of drugs being processed unnecessarily cost millions of pounds in the service of health. Instead of drugs, he said, providing people with access to cultural activities, such as watching live music, learning musical instruments or taking dance classes, could be just as effective.

According to the BBC, the minister said the arts are an "indispensable tool" for doctors, adding, "Social prescription reduces prescription of excessive drugs." This can lead to the same or better results for patients without pills And that saves money in the NHS because so many of these social remedies are free.We have fostered a culture that breaks the pills and Prozac, while we should be doing more prevention and sweating ".

One of the long-term conditions that would benefit from this alternative treatment style is dementia, he said. He suggested prescribing personalized reading lists to help patients manage symptoms and their families.

Some research certainly suggests that music can be very effective in managing dementia, because of the close relationship between sound and memory. And it is in this spirit that the BBC recently launched a website designed to help trigger memories in people with dementia by listening to music.

Although the "social prescription" is not a new concept, the Alzheimer Society told the BBC that she "can not consider music and the arts as some kind of miracle solution, for example, to fight some mental health issues. " people with dementia ".

Sally Copley, director of charity policy, said, "In addition to social prescriptions, what we really want is that general practitioners give people with dementia access appropriate support and medications when needed and, most importantly, the government to ensure adequate funding for care ".

The chief executive of the mental health charity, Mind, also said that while prevention through engagement of people was welcome, this approach required appropriate investment and support, and be treated as a parallel treatment rather than a substitute.

"Local services have been cut substantially over the past decade," said Paul Farmer of Mind's. "This prevention strategy must go hand in hand with a long-term investment, if we want to see it become a reality and make a real difference in people's daily lives. We want self-care techniques to be seen as complementary and not as substitutes for mental health services, such as counseling or cognitive-behavioral therapy. "

Of course, if the UK actually leaves the European Union without any agreement in place, causing border delays that could prevent some essential medicines from entering the country in time, it might be too complicated to sing. the only option. While stockpiling drugs to prevent such a short-term Brexit crisis, Hancock pledged £ 4.5 million for 23 social prescription projects in England in July this year.

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