Arts on prescription for older people: Different stakeholder perspectives on the challenges of providing evidence of impact on health outcomes

Providing evidence of health or well-being outcomes for arts on prescription (AoP) programmes for older people is problematic. A number of reports have shown that the Department of Health (DoH) supports the role of art in health (ACE 2007a; 2007b, Cayton 2007), but this has not translated into long-term, strategic funding. This article uses interviews with health, arts and voluntary sector professionals involved in five AoP programmes in England, UK, to provide an understanding of the challenges of providing evidence and of sustaining such work. Interviewees noted the tension between arts and health requirements, arguing that quantitative evaluation fails to capture the process of participation and the impact of programmes within the context of an individual’s life. However, using both qualitative and quantitative methods and demonstrating cost-savings was felt necessary. The substantial changes the National Health Service (NHS) is undergoing presents threats to embedding AoP in the light of financial cuts and opportunities through new commissioning structures. To attempt to gain policy support from the DoH and sustained funding from the NHS, the development of quantitative evaluation of health outcomes and demonstration of cost-savings alongside qualitative evaluation is recommended. Despite being in a relatively weak position in terms of influencing health policy, the article also recommends arts organizations invest energy in advocacy.