Background

Staying in hospital can lead to loneliness, boredom and the feeling of isolation - this has only been emphasised by the Coronavirus pandemic, as hospital visiting restrictions have changed. Hospital radio, whether live or (in our case) on-demand, can ease anxiety and give a sense of belonging. Music will also bring back memories, which is especially relevant for those living with dementia.

This project was the brainchild of Steven Davies. He has worked tirelessly to make the project come to fruition and - with the help of University of South Wales (USW) students branding, working on logistics and producing content - it now has.

The Project

YYFM is completely free, and accessible to patients using tablets - which are available on wards - or by using their own devices and connecting to the hospital's free WiFi network. The service is also available externally.

Rather than being a traditional hospital radio station, YYFM content will be regularly updated and made available on-demand, 24/7, via itsyyfm.com - this site will direct users to both speech-based and music-based content. Patients can also give their feedback on the service, or request specific content, by clicking the feedback button.

Our speech-based content will include news summaries, interviews, documentaries and radio dramas. It will also be used to deliver vital hospital messaging and COVID-19 guidance from the Welsh Government. The content will also be distributed to Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

Partnerships have been established with Caerphilly Council and a number of local schools. Two of which are St Martin's and Ysgol Gymraeg in Caerphilly - these two schools will be producing local history and Welsh language content respectively.

Music-based content will include patient requests and music documentaries.