Duke of Gloucester opens medical training centre

A new centre where future doctors and nurses are trained at the University of Worcester has been officially opened by the Duke of Gloucester.

The Duke's Building for health and sports science students includes a three-storey space that will also benefit the next generation of paramedics, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

The building on Hylton Road, featuring a clinical skills room, gives students "real world learning experiences", the university said.

It included "state-of-the-art equipment" and mannequins "that can replicate all the things a real patient can do", principal lecturer in simulation and skills Alice Kitt said.

She stated the facility had "completely revolutionised the teaching that we do".

"We've got students from all sorts of backgrounds, medicine, paramedicine, nursing, midwifery, allied health and it gives us a shared space to do that interprofessional education together."

As well as "what is known as high-fidelity simulation with mannequins", there could be scenarios with actors to hone "communication skills with our students", Kitt said.

The principal lecturer in simulation and skills for the school of nursing and midwifery stated the mannequins "can breathe, they can talk to you, we can do their blood pressure, we can do a full set of observations on them".

"[Students] can practise everything from a communication skill to a full-blown cardiac arrest."

Kitt said the facility replicated a real ward environment, "so we've got medical facilities, all the resources that they would have in a real clinical hospital".

"But the space is diverse enough that we can also make each bed space into an interactive simulation setting on its own just for one student and one patient."

The building had been used for several months before Thursday's official opening.

Olivia Higley, a second-year mental health nursing student, said the new centre was massive, a "lovely building... very bright, very hospital-like".

"Obviously having facilities like this before you go out on placement, they really boost your confidence and when you get to the real thing, it's not as daunting then."

Zoe Brownrigg, a final-year adult nursing student who is about to graduate, said: "Compared to the older facility on the St John's Campus it's about 10 times larger and the rooms are a lot more modernised.

"There's a lot more simulation skills where we're able to take bloods via the mannequins. We're able to get different breathing techniques."

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