Health humanities: the future of medical humanities?

Paper outlining the role of the humanities in a broad range of health and mental health related disciplines.The file attached to this record is the authors final version before publication. The final Pier Professional published version can found by following the link below.This discussion paper reviews and critiques literature related to the evolution of the medical humanities as an academic discipline and its contribution to healthcare provision. We argue that despite considerable advances in the field of medical humanities, needs have been identified for a more inclusive, outward-facing and applied discipline. These needs can be met in the form of what we have called the Health Humanities, which both embrace interdisciplinarity and engage with the contributions of those marginalised from the medical humanities - for example, allied health professionals, nurses, patients and carers. It is argued that there is a need for new thinking to develop the discipline of health humanities, to develop, provide and share research, expertise, training and education.non