Exactly like athletes, performing artists need to be as healthy as possible, and like athletes they are extra vulnerable to injury and illness. If anything, performers have a greater variety and number of health problems - disabling muscle damage, hearing difficulties, voice loss, severe stress and anxiety.

Yet while sports injuries are understood - and catered for via sports-medicine specialists - the health toll on performing artists is barely recognised. Sick and injured artists are expected to be detectives, tracking down health practitioners who may understand their needs. Often performers make their injuries worse, because they dare not stop working or studying while waiting for a specialist NHS referral and cannot afford private health care on annual earnings that rarely reach five figures.

BAPAM exists to fill the gap - to provide a performing arts equivalent to sports medicine. And it is a big gap, for we are the only organisation in the country delivering specialist health support to all professional and student performing artists.

WHAT WE DO - OUR SERVICES

• Free and confidential Assessment clinics staffed by leading performing arts health specialists, many with performing arts experience themselves.
• A Practitioners Directory listing physicians, surgeons, GPs, physiotherapists, counsellors and complementary therapists with relevant expertise. All have been approved by our Medical Committee and are appropriately qualified, registered (where applicable) and covered by professional indemnity insurance.
• Referrals to the best medical, surgical and other therapeutic help available.
• Health awareness training for performers, students and tutors
• Performing arts medicine training for health practitioners. BAPAM runs at least two specialist training days annually for approved practitioners, and two induction days for new recruits. A condition of joining our Directory is induction attendance and at least one training day every eighteen months. With patient consent, we also enable qualified and student practitioners to observe clinics.
• AMABO (Association of Medical Advisers to British Orchestras) is a network that links individual doctors and orchestras. Appointed by 'their' orchestra, AMABO doctors are completely independent of management and provide free, confidential and specialist medical advice to orchestra members
• Research into health problems affecting performers

WHO DO WE SERVE?
Our largest client group is instrumentalists, but we also see growing numbers of actors and dancers. The great majority have muscular-skeletal problems, with hearing, voice and psychological difficulties making up most of the rest.

FINANCE & FUNDRAISING

BAPAM's direct services (helpline, clinic, directory, some treatment) are free, and our referred services (most treatment) are often provided at a reduced rate. We also advise clients on sources of financial support if they cannot afford the treatment they need

Core income comes from the Musicians Benevolent Fund, Musicians Union and Equity. We also raise income from individual donations, our 250-strong network of Friend-supporters, events, charitable trusts and corporate donations.

BUILDING OUR FUTURE
Helping BAPAM is one of the best ways of maintaining the excellence of Britain's performing arts. We rely on donations and voluntary support to deliver our services. There are many ways to help us:

• Making a one off gift
• Joining our Friends scheme and becoming a regular supporter
• Helping us fundraise so we can extend our work
• Asking friends, family and colleagues to support us
• Introducing us to potential donors (corporate, individual, trusts etc)
• Remembering us when making a Will
• Becoming one of our health care practitioners
• Telling people about us - recruiting new Friends, practitioners and donors
• Volunteering with us - we need office, fundraising, marketing, design and IT volunteers

DONOR/GIFT AID FORM - include

PATRONS
Richard Baker OBE, Evelyn Glennie OBE, Nigel Kennedy, Sir Simon Rattle CBE, Sir Cliff Richard OBE, Dame Antoinette Sibley DBE, Janet Suzman, Wilfred White CBE

BAPAM, Totara Park House, 34-36 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8HR

OUR MISSION
To achieve the creation of a national occupational health care and health promotion service responsive to the needs of all professional, semi-professional and student performing artists

OUR GOOD PERFORMANCE CHARTER

• We observe the highest professional and clinical standards
• We bring together first class clinical expertise and a deep understanding of the special problems and health care issues faced by performing artists
• We serve all professionals, semi-professionals and students engaged in the performing arts irrespective of financial means
• We respond to need promptly and efficiently and observe strict client confidentiality
• As far as possible, our practice is underpinned by sound scientific research
• We are committed to promoting good practice and prevention so as to minimise the need for treatment for performance related health problems

OUR PLANS

• Clinics
• Setting up new clinics in the South West, North East, Midlands, Northern Ireland and Wales - and extend our existing clinics in London, Glasgow and Manchester
• Directory
• Doubling the number of health practitioners in our Directory AMABO
• Providing a doctor for every orchestra that wants one
• Health Promotion
• Working with music colleges, medical and other health trainers tset up national health education courses
• Profile
• Building a new Website containing our Directory of Practitioners, Good Practice Fact Sheets and an e-Education service as part of an extensive marketing programme
• Research
• Securing funding tset up a new performing arts medicine research service

It's not all glitter and applause . . . . . .

'My career would have been over if someone hadn't told me about BAPAM. Playing was becoming impossible - I was in such pain. The hand therapist I saw at BAPAM showed me how to alter my technique, which changed my life! It helped that she was a musician too - it was like talking to a colleague' Tenor sax player, Kent

'I had such shoulder pain, I could barely lift my instrument. BAPAM's rheumatologist worked out what was wrong with my posture and got me playing again' Trumpeter, N Wales

I fell on stage seven years ago and my back never recovered. BAPAM's physio was the first person to come up with practical ways of helping me'Actor, West Country

'You just can't talk about nerves if you are a dancer - no one will hire you. BAPAM's counsellor was so reassuring and practical - and it was all totally confidential' Jazz dancer, Birmingham

'A comic without a voice isn't very funny. It was BAPAM's voice specialist who got me back on stage again' Variety artist, Glasgow

'I had got used to dancing through my pain - it's fantastic that I don't have to do that any more. I will certainly come back to BAPAM if I have any other problems.' Modern Dancer, Leicester

'I thought I was helping my playing by practising as much as I could. After seeing BAPAM's rheumatologist, I have now learnt to make my practice periods more constructive and have more time for the rest of my life.'Pianist, East London

'Everyone was so helpful. I was so grateful to be checked over and followed up so thoroughly, to make sure I was really improving.' Violinist, Norwich

'It was my back that had seized up - all the standing around that a chorus member has to do. BAPAM got me moving - and working - again.' Opera Singer, North of England

'Of course I enjoy the variety of problems our clients consult us for - from considering what in a trombone mouthpiece might cause a skin sensitivity to how to behave if a neighbour in a chorus has a cold - and the wide range of clients from trapeze artists to dervish flute players. But I specially value having so many specialists I can refer patients to. I had no idea there were so many people who could offer such effective help.' Retired consultant who volunteers for BAPAM as a general physician

'I think the overriding issue is preventing injuries. So few performers and practically no students are warming up, cooling down, taking regular breaks, practising scientifically and achieving and maintaining physical fitness.' Rheumatologist, Chair of BAPAM Medical Committee

We wish to thank our three major funders - Musicians Benevolent Fund, Musicians Union and Equity. They make our work - and the enjoyment of millions - possible

A BAPAM Publication

this article is copyright protected. Morgensterns is licensed to reproduce it. No further copying is permitted without Morgensterns or the author's permission