NHS urged to introduce 'singing on prescription' after quality of life improved for people with lung disease

Singing improves the quality of life for people living with the progressive and incurable lung disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, according to new research.

Sidney De Hann Research Centre for Arts and Health at Canterbury Christ Church University and London School of Economics and Political Science, worked with GPs in Southwark and Lambeth boroughs to recruit people with COPD to four singing groups.

These groups were carefully monitored over the period of a year, with the results concluding that regular singing has a positive impact on people with the serious and incurable lung condition - helping to modify breathing patterns, reduce breathlessness, and improve quality of life and social and psychological wellbeing.

Professor Stephen Clift, director of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre, said: “People with COPD find it difficult to breathe, and are also vulnerable to social isolation, anxiety and depression.

“Regular group singing can help people to focus on their breathing in a positive way, improving management of breathing difficulties. Group singing is also supportive and fun, and people can have an enjoyable time. More and more singing for breathing groups are starting across the country, and the NHS needs to seriously consider the idea of ‘singing on prescription’.”

There are currently around 1.2m people in the UK living with COPD, a progressive lung disease that increases breathlessness and results in long-term inflammation of the airways.

Professor Clift added: “We are delighted that our community singing group in Lambeth and Southwark for people living with COPD has been so successful. This builds on our previous work in Kent, which suggested that singing is beneficial to this group, not only for breathing but also in relation to general physical, psychological and social wellbeing.

“We are currently working with Medway Community Healthcare in setting up further singing for better breathing groups.”

The Singing for Better Breathing: Findings of the Lambeth and Southwark Singing and COPD Project was supported by the NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups for Southwark and Lambeth and funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’s Charity.

The final report will be officially launched at an event at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre, London on 6 June.