Creative Health in Systems: a legacy of the Creative Health Associates programme
A new book by our Research and Policy Manager, Dr Jane Hearst, turns the knowledge she built during her time as an NCCH Creative Health Associate into a practical companion for anyone navigating creative health integration.
When the Creative Health Associates programme drew to a close, Jane faced a problem many in the field will recognise. After nearly two years as the Midlands Creative Health Associate – connecting hundreds of stakeholders across the region – she had built up more knowledge than any handover meeting could hold.
"Several of the eleven integrated care systems I was responsible for were just about to hit a critical moment of momentum, and I needed something to be available to new stakeholders after my post came to an end."
In its closing stages of the programme, Programme Manager, Jayne Howard, encouraged the Associates to document and share as much as they could, so the work would leave a lasting legacy. Creative Health in Systems: The People, Priorities, and Challenges Shaping Integration, published by Routledge on 21st August 2026, is Jane's answer to that call.
"That feeling of having passion and responsibility to so many people necessitated a comprehensive approach, and a book offered that. It also helped me stay connected to the industry as I stepped into the unknowns of the job market – which mattered a lot, because creative health is all about relationships!"
Those relationships are visible on every page. Across 53 short chapters, grouped into stakeholders and networks, strategies, challenges, planning and evaluation, and a practical mapping toolkit, the book gathers voices from health leaders, creative practitioners, policymakers, researchers and people with lived experience, most of whom Jane met during her time as an Associate.
At NCCH we are proud to have our work woven throughout. The Creative Health Associates programme is named explicitly in both the introduction and the conclusion as the thread that binds the collection together. Our organisation features in a dedicated chapter (Chapter 12), alongside chapters on the NCCH Creative Health Champions (Chapter 13) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health (Chapter 11). Members of NCCH's Nursing and GP Special Interest Groups contributed chapters on Nursing (Chapter 4) and General Practice (Chapter 5), whilst NCCH Champions such as Ananta Dave, Justin Varney-Bennett, Laura Waters and Helen Billings contribute chapters on Mental Health (Chapter 28), Public Health (Chapter 26), NHS Staff Wellbeing and Retention (Chapter 30) and NHS Trusts (Chapter 7). Fellow Associates from the programme, Elaine Ryan-McNeill and Conni Rosewarne, have brought chapters of their own (Chapters 8, 35, 36 & 52). Moreover, work from our partners in the Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities programme features in chapters such as Creative Health Boards (Chapter 10). Jane's own chapter on research and policy partnerships (Chapter 22) reflects the NCCH work she does today.
In the book, Jane makes the case that a thriving creative health eco-system needs two things. The first is bridging roles that connect people across disciplinary boundaries. We are proud to support this bridging of the industry through our own Creative Health Leads – a programme which built upon the success of our Associates, with an aim to embed up to 30 posts in systems across England. The second point she mentions, is knowledge-sharing between stakeholders. Jane’s book deliberately offers access to this knowledge for systems that are yet to have a supporting role.
Early readers have welcomed the book. Regan McDonald, Public Health Research Officer and Creative Health Producer at Ikon Gallery and Birmingham City Council, calls it "an invaluable reference, planning tool and introduction to an increasingly complex ecology for those working across Creative Health." Dr Roshni Beeharry of UCL's Institute of Neurology notes that "Hearst and contributing authors remind us that creative health development involves collaborative working rather than silos." David Moss, Locality Director, One Weston and Woodspring, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB, adds “By bridging sectors, we unlock richer evidence, more joined-up intelligence, and smarter resource allocation, all while fostering a new language of partnership.”
When we asked Jane what her hopes for the book were, her answer was simple: "The health system is so big, complex and ever-changing that knowing where to start, and when to pivot, can feel impossible without the right foundations. I'm hoping this book provides those foundations, through short, snapshot chapters that people can refer back to quickly and easily, whenever they need a refresher."
Creative Health in Systems: The People, Priorities, and Challenges Shaping Integration is available in hardback, paperback and ebook. Readers can claim 20% off with the code 26SME3. Library staff interested in bulk orders are warmly invited to get in touch with Jane directly, who can connect them with the right people at Routledge.
