Process starts supporting strategic ambition and sustainability

Consultation begins on proposed organisational changes supporting our new strategic ambition, ensuring long-term resilience and sustainability

Nordoff and Robbins exists to ensure that people who are isolated, vulnerable and furthest from support can access life changing music therapy. For over 60 years we have worked across health, education and social care to break through barriers using music, supporting more than 238,000 individuals, families and communities, training the music therapists of the future and undertaking music therapy research. This purpose remains at the heart of every decision we make.

At the start of 2025 we confirmed a new organisational strategy. At its heart is a clear ambition: to make music therapy a recognised and accessible part of health and social care, particularly for people at the sharpest end of need. The strategy focuses on three things: maintaining the quality and integrity of Nordoff Robbins music therapy, making sure the way we deliver it is sustainable, and using our resources where they matter most.

To best serve our clients, we must now change how the organisation is structured so that we can deliver on our strategic ambition.

Like many charities, delivering our work has become increasingly challenging. We are facing sustained external financial pressures; rising costs and unpredictable income are converging at the same time, and they are affecting Nordoff and Robbins directly. These external pressures mean the cost of providing music therapy is increasing faster than our income.

As well as changing our model to better serve our clients, we must also work through a period of transition, including scaling back some of our services in the short term. We do not take these decisions lightly, and we know colleagues, clients and communities will be affected. Without change, our ability to deliver impact at scale and reach people who need us would continue to narrow.

We are therefore proposing changes to our operating model to focus resources where they can make the greatest difference and enable us to build back and strengthen our impact over time.

We have begun a formal process with colleagues to ensure our resources are focused on the delivery of our strategic ambition and to address the sustained external financial pressures we face.

We are committed to approaching this process with dignity and respect, providing appropriate support, and ensuring that it is meaningful, properly heard and rooted in our values.

Sandra Schembri, CEO of Nordoff and Robbins, said: “Our purpose remains, and our belief in the power of music to transform lives is as strong as ever. However, we need to adapt to the changing environment we work within. Like so many across our sector we are facing unsustainable rising costs and unpredictable income. In developing these draft proposals, we are guided by our commitment to the people we exist to support. The changes we are proposing are about ensuring that high quality music therapy can continue to play a meaningful role in health and social care, for the people who need it most, across the UK in the years ahead. To our people and the communities we support, we are committed to communicating clearly and listening properly to colleagues throughout.”

The process will be carried out in line with our legal responsibilities, transparently and with dignity and care, with opportunities for colleagues to engage and provide feedback as part of the process.

We will share further updates in due course.