Hospital is pilot site for medical simulation training

Eastbourne DGH is one of five hospitals in the United Kingdom to offer simulation training for doctors to practice heart procedures as part of a national pilot. Doctors are able to learn and practice procedures in a simulated situation using high tech mannequins and IT training devices.

Dr Nikhil Patel Consultant Cardiologist and Course Director said, “We are delighted to be one of only five hospitals in the UK to take part in this new form of training for cardiac doctors. Simulation training has been around a long time in the aviation industry but it is relative new in medicine. This training used high tech mannequins and IT devices to help junior doctors learn and develop their technique so that they are safe and prepared before they perform these procedures for real. I am pleased that the feedback we had from the British Cardiac Society representative on the course as well as the trainees themselves was extremely positive.”

The simulation training covered angiography (examining blood vessels using Xray) and pace making procedures. The British Cardiovascular Society recommends that cardiology trainees should undertake a course incorporating simulation based training before, or very early on in their cardiology career. The one day course held at Eastbourne had seven cardiology registrars. It included a mixture of lectures and small group sessions, which were led by experienced faculty members including the Trust’s Senior Resuscitation Officer, Steve Rochester, Dr Sveta Badiani, Dr Steven Coombs and Consultant Cardiologists, Dr Rick Veasey and Dr Andrew Marshall.