The outcome of the Tracheostomy Challenge which was run between April 2021 and April 2022 by the Dragon’s Heart Institute, Cardiff and Vale UHB staff, Cardiff Capital Region and the SBRI Centre of Excellence has gained backing from the National Tracheostomy Safety Project.
The challenge, which was issued following COVID-19, was to develop an innovative way of delivering tracheostomy training to healthcare staff that did not rely on face-to-face training and could begin to address the training backlog which resulted from the pandemic activity.
Following their attendance at the Spread and Scale Academy in 2019, Cardiff and Vale UHB’s Paul Twose and his team realised the scale of the challenge they faced which was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Working with the Dragon’s Heart Institute, they were successful in securing over £400,000 in challenge funding from the Cardiff Capital Region to address this issue and over the course of the last 18 months, have worked with two industry partners to develop a novel, immersive mixed-reality simulation that combines virtual reality (VR), audio effects and haptic technology to be used in training.
The programme centres on realistic bedside simulations that recreate high-pressure situations where decisive action needs to be taken quickly and competently. Users of the programme are fully immersed and their hands can be tracked directly to allow intricate manipulation of virtual objects which can provide tactile feedback.
The VR programme is fully portable and, no matter where the training takes place, users experience the sights and sounds of a hospital setting which can be customised according to their needs (e.g. changing the setting between a ward or an intensive care unit, and changing the appearance of the patients). Users can participate individually or as a group and are able to interact with other users’ avatars in the virtual space so that sessions can be joined and taught remotely.
During the third phase of the challenge, which ended earlier this year, the developed solutions were tested with staff in hospital settings across Wales with 97% of learners trialled reporting that they felt that this training method had the potential to positively impact patient and team safety and quality.
Now, following this extensive testing, in a significant step for the future implementation of this training facility, the programme has gained the support of the UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project, a professional group of healthcare staff which campaigns to improve the management of tracheostomy and laryngectomy, including during critical incidents.
Professor Brendan McGrath, Chair, National Tracheostomy Safety Project said, “Tracheostomy training is one of the best examples of truly multidisciplinary education, but that brings its own challenges. VR technology has the potential to make training accessible for all staff, and even deliver training for patients, their families and carers in an accessible, standardised way.”
Paul Twose, Consultant Therapist at Cardiff and Vale UHB and project lead, said, “The tracheostomy challenge has highlighted the huge potential for immersive technologies to transform the way in which we deliver education within NHS Wales. The challenge now is to make these innovations ‘business as usual’ whilst continuing our relationship with industry to develop more training scenarios and educational content.”
Suzanne Rankin, Chief Executive of Cardiff and Vale UHB, said, “I’m incredibly proud to see Paul and the team from Cardiff and Vale UHB leading this work on a national level. The quality of care we deliver is the most important thing by which we can measure ourselves and I’m pleased to see our team driving improvements in this field for patients with tracheostomies not just in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan but across Wales and, perhaps soon, beyond. Many congratulations to Paul and the team and thank you.”
The next Spread and Scale Academy will take place in Cardiff on the 8th, 9th and 10th March. The application period is currently open and will close at midnight on 13th January 2023. Apply here.
