A virtual reality and augmented reality tech provider, built by an NHS trauma surgeon, has added specially designed COVID-19 modules for use on their immersive training platform.
NHS staff have been using the immersive technology to enable mass, socially-distant training. It include training from how to use PPE, to how to find their way around a new ICU, with thousands of sessions recorded.
The technology has been supported by Health Education England and the company is part of the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme.
Tom Woollard, West Suffolk Hospital Clinical Skills and Simulation Tutor said “We’ve been using Virti’s technology in our intensive care unit to help train staff who have been drafted in to deal with COVID-19 demand. The videos which we have created and uploaded are being accessed on the Virti platform by nursing staff, physiotherapists and Operational Department Practitioners (ODPs) to orient them in the new environment and reduce their anxiety.”
“The tech has helped us to reach a large audience and deliver formerly labour-intensive training and teaching which is now impossible with social distancing. In the future, West Suffolk will consider applying Virti tech to other areas of hospital practice.”
The technology uses virtual and augmented reality to recreate hospital environments and real patient cases that the user can interact with. The system then uses artificial intelligence to assess users objectively and improve their performance.
Dr Alexander Young, Founder and CEO, Virti “Over the last few months, we wanted to ensure as many NHS clinicians as possible could access our healthcare training tools. The pandemic meant that lots of new clinicians were being onboarded, key personnel were changing roles, and new medical environments were being created. At the same time, very limited face-to-face training could be carried out. Having already worked extensively with healthcare organisations and medical schools designing their training models, we knew Virti was in a position to help during this crisis.”
“By providing the most advanced data and tech driven training to NHS frontline staff we are helping to ensure that patients receive the highest possible standard of care, whilst simultaneously prioritising the safety of our essential healthcare workers.”
The company were also recently named winners of the government’s NHS TechForce 19 challenge.
