BAPAM services for Equity members

Support for Equity members

BAPAM (the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine) is a specialist medical charity, funded by Equity and a range of creative industry organisations to provide expert health support for creative practitioners and all those who work in the performing arts.

While a creative career can be immensely rewarding, it also brings specific challenges, and research shows that 75% of those working in the performing arts will face a career-impacting physical or psychological health problem at some point.

Focusing on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of performance-related health issues, BAPAM’s services for Equity members include: 

• Free, expert clinical consultations across the UK and online. With 40 years of experience treating artists, creators and professionals, BAPAM understand the breadth of health support needs in the entertainment industry - from mental health, musculoskeletal and vocal health to hearing concerns, while common issues such as eyesight and dental health can cause specific problems when performing. If you have a health problem related to your work or study in the performing arts, BAPAM can help.
• Mental health support for Equity members includes short-term one-to-one therapy if eligibility criteria are met, and free online workshops providing psychological self-care support and wellbeing advice. To access the Equity Mental Health Support Scheme, contact BAPAM on info@bapam.org.uk or 020 8167 4775. BAPAM’s clinical team will work with you to assess your health needs before providing further advice and where eligibility criteria are met, up to six sessions of individual therapy.  
• Free online training led by health and performance experts to help you prevent health problems and sustain your creative career.
• Health advice and information resources, grounded in research, evidence and best practice. Find essential free advice on topics including preparing for performance, physical warm-ups, coping with performance anxiety, vocal health, hearing, returning to performance post-injury, nutrition, alcohol use, financial support and much more.
• The BAPAM directory of specialist health care professionals lists high quality, accessible performing arts health care provided independently of BAPAM. Details of practitioners, their qualifications and expertise are published online, and further information is available via the BAPAM Helpline.
• To improve the working environment and support colleagues, occupational health advice and bespoke healthy practice training for companies and organisations can be commissioned from BAPAM’s expert team of clinicians and educators. For information about these additional services, including costs, get in touch with BAPAM directly. 

To find out more about free health services available to you, take a look at www.bapam.org.uk or get in touch with BAPAM on info@bapam.org.uk or by calling the BAPAM Helpline on 020 8167 4775, 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday.