I’ve felt supported and the team has felt supported all the way through the project. The system is versatile, easy to use and the sound quality is crisp and clear. - Toby Garrity, Clinical Simulation Trainer, Royal Oldham Hospital
- Toby Garrity, Clinical Simulation Trainer, Royal Oldham Hospital
New Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre helps ensure first-rate patient care within The Royal Oldham Hospital
In response to increasing demand for enhanced clinical training within The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Royal Oldham Hospital constructed a £600,000 Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre. The centre including two simulation bays with high-tech manikins, a consulting room and two debriefing rooms would recreate realistic clinical settings for medical skills training.
Pure AV was appointed by the Trust to design an audiovisual system to record and playback training activity for analysis and debriefing.
In a typical training scenario up to 21 separate video, audio and data feeds have to be managed. Every verbal and physical action of the trainees during the activity needs to be captured and synchronised to enable step-by-step analysis during the debriefing session.
Pure AV quickly understood that the budget would not allow for specialist medical simulation software and worked with the Trust to review in detail the essential elements of the specification.
It was decided to use a mainstream IP-based video surveillance system and develop it to meet the needs of a simulation application. The advantage; the ability to record multiple streams of video and play them back in synchronisation using timeline-based software included with the recorders. The challenge, its ability to successfully manage audio.
Careful research enabled Pure to identify Axis; a manufacturer with superior audio encoding capability able to provide good quality multi-channel sound with minimal latency. Integration with high-quality microphones and audio processors enabled accurate distribution of the audio and compensation for any latency. An Extron touchscreen control system makes user adjustment straightforward. While Antrica encoders manage the data capture feed into the Axis camera station.
Post-exercise, the trainer accesses recorded content via the built-in timeline software of the Axis system using a wireless keyboard and 75” display.
The selection of an Axis solution provided a strong foundation for the solution; the skill of the design team in the integration of additional audio processing, higher specification cameras and in wrapping the system up with user-friendly control ensured the delivery of a solution able to match the demands of a Simulation Suite.
Through a precise understanding of client needs, Pure overcame budget constraints to deliver an effective Simulation Suite. The Royal Oldham Hospital anticipates that it will successfully upskill 1,400 clinicians per year within its new facility. Meaning approximately 2,100 staff within the Trust will have access to hands-on training that supports them in their role and delivery of a higher level of patient care.