8 February 2024
Belated Happy New Year everyone!
It feels a long time ago now since we were preparing for the end of the year. I want to apologise for there being no January Blog, there has been so much going on and so much to organise I thought I’d make you a juicy February one to make us for it!
There is so much happening and so many activities to tell you about, it makes for hectic reading!
What's happening!??!
First solo session with Pico and BodySwaps
Practiced on the Team with an Interview Simulation scenario – It was good in the fact that it highlighted what we needed to add to the start of any session. Learning points like we needed a physical game whilst in the headsets to get those who never worn one to get used to the controls. Also, to look to either cast a demonstration or add pictures to the introduction of what they will see as soon as they put the headset on.
The headsets and the software are now becoming popular. We’re able to add the use of these onto existing training to try and enhance the experience; with the ability to practice conversations around the topic in a safe space we hope would cement the learning they had just received. Training with the Hub’s Nurse VTS, Aspiring Practice Managers, NMP session, Reception & Admin cohorts alongside the T Level Students at Outwood Academy and the GP trainees for the GP School.
As we begin to gain traction on the product development side, we have been offered the opportunity to collaborate with Re:Course AI and BodySwaps on a couple of new scenarios on their platforms, which is amazing! We are currently filming 10 nurse led clinic scenarios with ExR where the scenarios will be in 360 video and be used in collaboration with 2 existing ExR VR activities of a subcutaneous injection and CPR. These scenarios are our first attempt at creating part of a virtual nurse placement. This is added to our own 360vr we created with UI3D used as an introduction to Primary Care and the Safeguarding Avatar created with Keele University!
Top Left: Re:Course AI
Top Right: ExR
Bottom Left: BodySwaps
I connected with Amanda who leads the Inspire Virtual Nurse Placement at the Suffolk & North East Essex Training Hub (SNEE). I’m hoping that our new Legacy Nurse member of the team Lisa Sharp will be able to learn from Amanda has done. She’s created a successful programme that is providing all that the nurses need without the need to be in a practice for the whole placement! I am hoping that a combination of their delivery model and our ExR virtual placement scenarios will be a winning combination!
Also, at SNEE is Dr Mark Shenton, Professor of Integrated Care, PHM lead for Ipswich and East Suffolk Alliance and the Lead for Special Projects SNEE ICB who leads on the creation and implementation of an Integrated Care Academy Model. Really interesting to hear what they’re doing to become truly integrated.
NHSE Blueprints Team – I have submitted a Blueprint document describing the work on creating the Innovation Centre! It’s being considered as we speak to go in front of their Core Group who will decide if its something that can be replicated across the NHS system! How exciting is that?! Can you imagine!? We create the first one and its so good that it gets rolled out across the country!? As long as that attracts some investment of course 😉
We are just entering into a contract to take on a space at the Greener Estate CIC on Manor Road Sheffield! Its not massive and we need to make it more homely but its perfect for what we want to do there. It particularly excites the Greener Champion in me knowing that we will be contributing to a Community Interest Company encouraging sustainability and green spaces in the city. There are lots of opportunities to engage with the surroundings for wellbeing sessions and it just feels calm. Of course, this isn’t the big shiny building that will host everything, but this is a massive step forward in terms of having a base and being visible.
We have also begun to look at an alternative to us fitting out the second floor of the arena space on the OLP. The landlords want to make headway into creating the space themselves if we are not; however, they have been good enough to see what we’d need. So, it may mean that we get some space on the first floor and some on the second, it may also mean that it’s not specifically tailored to us but could closely resemble it. This would then just be a question of rental rather than a capital investment. I still hope for the bespoke version, but I am very happy that this could be a way forward.
For me personally, it seems that the more attention the project gets the more people want to speak to me… ME!? I’m no expert but I seem to have done what some people only dream to achieve in an NHS setting. I have to attribute that to this actually being my job and just a part of an already overloaded, stressful job doing something else. I’m afforded the time and the capacity to try, to create and to innovate. It’s quite freeing!
If this means that I have the opportunity to make mistakes ahead of other people so I can warn them of the pitfalls to avoid, then that’s great! Equally it means I get to celebrate the wins! The “Wow that actually works!” moments. The confidence now that the Hub team educators are showing in me by inviting in to support with the tech to their existing teaching sessions is just fantastic. It feels like we have a blossoming love for the tech 😊
