South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust ‘Wicked Problems’ approach
West Yorkshire

South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust’s (SWYPFT) Arts and Health Programme Manager has taken a change of approach when developing Creative Health in SWYPFT.  Rather than developing projects, products or services and offering them to SWYPFT to take up, the Programme Manager asks about the problems that are proving difficult to solve through conventional approaches.

This has led, for example,  to the development of an innovative project in response to occasional choking incidents and reports that mealtimes were not as calm or enjoyable as they could be within the dining room of a mental health inpatient facility.  

"Rather than developing projects, products or services and offering them to the Trust to take up, the Programme Manager asks about the problems that are proving difficult to solve through conventional approaches."

Conversations have been held with staff and with service users about making improvements to the sonic environment, making the space less clinical and the potential to use the dining room space for music and performance events.  The Trust has responded well to this open ended R&D approach, as have staff who have been receptive in participating in creative problem solving.