University Hospitals Plymouth introduces virtual reality for new emergency centre

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Foundation Trust has unveiled a virtual reality dome which will allow people to experience for themselves the new urgent and emergency care centre that is due to be built.

The new centre at Derriford Hospital is part of the government’s plans to build 40 new hospitals by 2030. It will increase Derriford Hospital’s capacity to treat patients from across Devon and Cornwall, within a modern healthcare environment.

The virtual reality dome is open for patients, staff and community groups to familiarise themselves with the new facilities. A film of the new space is projected across the dome to bring the new building to life. Visitors will be able to experience the flow of the building thanks to a virtual reality walkthrough, while staff have the opportunity to experience their future workspace.

Nicola Collas, future hospitals programme lead at University Hospitals Plymouth, said: “We’ve had a great response to the dome experience, with people excited about the prospect of working in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility.

“Bringing the project to life in this way has really allowed everyone to see with their own eyes how this project will make a huge difference for patients, staff, and the community”.

The four-storey building will offer around 17,000sqm and will be linked to Derriford Hospital. It will incorporate digital technologies into models of care to ensure state-of-the-art facilities are available with facilities including modern diagnostic equipment, as well as new interventional radiology theatres and surgical theatres to ensure patients can be diagnosed and treated quickly.

Earlier this year University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust digitised the existing emergency department at Derriford Hospital, through the deployment of new software modules to its Nervecentre EPR.