Media Release
Date: 23 December 2025
RUH's Musician in Residence spreads festive cheer this Christmas
Musician in Residence at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Frankie Simpkins, has been sharing the joy and connectedness that music brings to the hospital's patients and staff this festive period.
It's through her understanding of the special role that music has which helps Frankie really make a difference at this special time of year.
She explains: "It's all about being really aware that music needs to be right in the moment for that person and how they are feeling. So, I can sing Christmas songs if we want to or I might sing something else."
Frankie has been the RUH's Musician in Residence for 12 years through the Soundbite Music Programme and with support from Friends of the RUH. As a result, she is really attuned to the difference music makes to patients and staff all the way through the year.
"Music in hospital has many benefits," she said: "Someone's face can light up despite feeling poorly when they hear something that's familiar or special to them."
Dr Helen Milbourn, Consultant Geriatrician, who sees the impact first-hand, said: "It's a joy to see Frankie come on the wards. It's so nice to see some of our patients who have been unwell look so animated and back to themselves."
A recent clip of Frankie playing to a patient on the RUH's Older People's Unit caught the attention of the online community and clearly demonstrates the physical and mental health benefits of providing music in hospitals.
Frankie said: "It was a busy day on the ward and so the patient was brought down to me so she could hear me singing. She requested 'Rock Around the Clock' and I began to sing it and she started dancing! It was the most beautiful thing."
Dr Milbourn added: "Just a small amount of time in bed can mean real loss of muscle bulk and so a patient can take longer to recover and spend more time away from home. So it's really important to get up and moving and music is a brilliant vehicle for this."
ENDS