Innovations in delivering oncology music therapy services: A response to covid-19

Music therapy has long been considered an integral part of cancer care for adults and children, offering supportive care from the time of diagnosis, through treatment and into survivorship and end-of-life-care. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has irrevocably changed the way music therapy services are conceptualised and provided in two cancer hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. Government guidelines and hospital protocols have altered the landscape of cancer care and impacted the implementation of music therapy, and the platforms via which music therapy is provided. As visitor restrictions came into effect, the hospitals focussed on keeping immune-compromised patients safe and the workplace COVID-free. Patients and families lost access to some of their pre-existing psycho-social supports, and were observed to experience heightened distress, anxiety, and isolation. Concurrently, restrictions demanded changes to the provision of music therapy, and a dynamic and creative response to reimagine music therapy within the limitations imposed by pandemic restrictions. The resultant developments and innovations in music therapy programming highlighted a responsive, compassionate, engaged, and resilient approach to supporting patients and families in a vastly different clinical space. This paper explores the changes, impacts, and opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic; the adaptation of music therapy services; and program innovations. It is suggested that these changes and innovations will play a role in shaping music therapy services in cancer care into the future.