CIMTR Public Lecture: MELODIC: a Music therapy intervention Embedded in the Life Of Dementia Inpatient psychiatric Care

Join us online to hear from Naomi Thompson and Dr Ming Hung Hsu about their research investigating how music therapy can reduce distress on NHS inpatient wards for people with dementia.

Distress is common among people with dementia admitted to inpatient mental health wards, where care challenges, behavioural risks, and reliance on pharmacological treatments highlight the need for effective non-drug interventions.

While music therapy has shown benefits in care home settings, its application in mental health wards remains underexplored. The MELODIC study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), aimed to co-design and pilot a manualised music therapy intervention to reduce distress in this context.

Using a multi-phase approach, the study combined two literature reviews with qualitative interviews and focus groups involving people with dementia, relatives, and staff. Findings informed the co-creation of a music therapy manual, which was iteratively refined and piloted across two NHS wards with differing levels of prior music therapy provision.

The intervention was found to be feasible to deliver, with research methods acceptable to participants and staff, and preliminary observations suggesting reductions in distress-related incidents.

This study demonstrates the potential for structured music therapy to be embedded within routine inpatient care, offering a scalable, non-pharmacological approach to distress management. These findings provide a foundation for future large-scale evaluation of clinical effectiveness and implementation across NHS dementia services.

Speakers

Naomi Thompson is an HCPC-registered music therapist and Vice-Chancellor’s PhD Scholar at CIMTR, where she is undertaking doctoral research. She works part-time as a research assistant investigating the impact of music therapy for older people with dementia in NHS psychiatric inpatient wards. Her clinical practice spans children, young people and families; adults experiencing homelessness and substance use challenges; individuals with acquired brain injury; and older adults with dementia.

Dr Ming-Hung Hsu is Professor of Music Therapy at the Norwegian Academy of Music and Visiting Professor at CIMTR. His research focuses on dementia and healthy ageing, with a particular interest in how music supports prevention, health management, independence, and quality of life in real-world contexts. His work spans community and clinical settings, with an emphasis on implementation and inclusive practice.

This event is part of the CIMTR Public Lecture Series 2025-26.