Hospital is a national site for Cardiology simulation training

Eastbourne DGH is one of only eight approved hospitals in the United Kingdom to offer simulation training for new specialist cardiac doctors to improve their skills with heart procedures. 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 taking part in this new improved form of training for cardiac doctors and proud that Eastbourne DGH is one of only a few hospitals in the UK to be involved.

“Simulation training has been around a long time in the aviation industry but it is relatively new in medicine. This training uses high-tech mannequins and simulators to help junior doctors learn and develop their technique so that they are safe and prepared before they perform these procedures on patients.

“I am pleased with the feedback we had from the British Cardiac Society on our course as well as the trainees themselves who were extremely positive.”

The simulation training covered angiography (examining blood vessels using X-ray), pace making procedures and cardiac echocardiography. The British Cardiovascular Society mandate that all cardiology trainees should undertake a course incorporating simulation based training before, or very early on in their cardiology career. The two day course held at Eastbourne DGH had twelve 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 Officers, Steve Rochester and Tony Kemp, Dr Sveeta Badiani and Consultant Cardiologists, Dr Rick Veasey, Dr Andrew Marshall and Dr Neil Sulke.