Artist Helen Snell joins Torbay hospital trust to boost staff wellbeing

Helen Snell's background is in digital art, laser cutting and printmaking

An artist has joined a hospital trust in a bid to enhance the wellbeing of staff.

Helen Snell has joined Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust for 18 months as an artist in residence.

Bosses said Ms Snell would collaborate with teams to "help enhance work areas by creating temporary and permanent artworks and installations".

The project has been funded by NHS Charities Together.

Ms Snell said: "I feel very humbled and galvanised to be given such an extraordinary opportunity.

"Working in partnership with staff, I hope to develop strategies that capture experiences, and reimagine and reconfigure the spaces where they have a bit of downtime and are able to talk freely to colleagues and decompress.

"I hope I can support and channel their ideas so that we become co-creators and collaborators, so that together we can make all staff feel valued and visible."

Ms Snell's background is in digital art, laser cutting and printmaking and she has worked as an artist and researcher in the heritage, museum, and education sectors.

She added: "Ultimately, we can start to reimagine how health care, from hospital settings to care in the community, is perceived and experienced by staff, patients and visitors alike."