SENIOR surgeons are rubbing shoulders with volunteers, managers are setting aside their spread sheets and nurses are temporarily hanging up their stethoscopes, all in the name of having a good old singsong.
Staff from all walks of hospital life have come together to form a choir as part of a project to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace.
The initiative is the brainchild of Peter Farrant, music director at Reigate & Redhill Choral Society, who has been designing, managing and running music workshops for over 20 years.
Staff at East Surrey Hospital piled into their lecture theatre on Thursday for singing practice, practice which will culminate in a live performance in front of a packed audience at Redhill's Harlequin Theatre at the end of the month.
While work commitments have prevented some of the 150 staff members who originally expressed an interest from taking part, the choir – called the "rush hour choir" by members – attracts a steady turnout of about 50 singers, all eager to either get back into singing or taking it up for the first time.
"The aim is to try to promote health and wellbeing through the benefit of using music," said Mr Farrant, who is also the principal conductor of the professional orchestra Surrey ProMusica.
"What we're aiming to do is expose staff to the different aspects of health like posture, breathing and general wellbeing.
"It's also great for team building across departments and breaks down barriers."
He added: "It's about focusing on the health related aspects of work.
"The posture is quite important for people who work behind a desk, the breathing is good for general health, and it improves memory as well because they have to learn new songs.
"Then you've got how it helps them present themselves and be more self-aware, so there are so many different benefits."
The hospital's workplace choir will join three others in the live performance on Saturday, March 23. It's part of the choral society's Community Development Programme funded by Legal & General, who are also developing two of their own choirs – one at their Kingswood base and one at their Hove office.
A fourth choir, made up of staff and volunteers from The Children's Trust in Tadworth, forms the final group.
Frances Borrer from Legal & General said: "The enthusiasm shown by over 100 employees across Kingswood and Hove for the choir has been truly amazing.
"We want employees to be healthy and happy and the formation of the choir is just one initiative that offers them the opportunity to get involved and engaged in something they enjoy, makes them feel good and which also makes a positive contribution to their local community."
Mr Farrant said: "Research and studies carried out both in the UK and worldwide now suggest that the more music people make together the healthier and happier they are.
"Quite apart from the enjoyment and satisfaction individuals can attain, confidence and self-belief can rocket as a result of performance opportunities."
With just a few more practices, and with solo artists desperately trying to learn the words to every song – they will only be told which one they are singing on the night – members of East Surrey Hospital's choir are preparing themselves for the live performance at the Harlequin, when all four choirs will come together as part of the Surrey Choral Festival.
They will be performing alongside a professional orchestra, top solo artists and the acclaimed Patricia Rozario OBE.
But the staff aren't stopping there, in coming weeks they are planning to perform around the hospital and at the Brighton International Festival on May 11. They also plan to record a series of songs to raise money for The Children's Trust.
The Surrey Choral Festival is at 7.30pm on Saturday, March 23 at The Harlequin Theatre in Redhill. Joining the workplace choirs for their debut public performance – with works ranging from Mozart to Westlife – will be a professional orchestra, top international soloists Patricia Rozario OBE and Roderick Earle, and singers from across the region. The performance will feature a selection of Mozart's finest popular classics, climaxing with Mozart's dramatic Requiem. Tickets are available by calling 01737 276500.