What is CVR?
In 2022, Combined Virtual Reality (CVR) was added to Combined Healthcare’s portfolio of communications products and channels.
Virtual reality is an experience that can be similar to, or completely different from, the real world. It can be used for a range of entertainment, education, medical training and business purposes.
Virtual reality can be experienced either by wearing a virtual reality headset or in an immersive environment to allow the user to look around the artificial world, move around and interact with virtual features, images and sounds.
Delirium training
To mark international World Delirium Awareness Day 2022, we released our first CVR experience to help frontline healthcare staff create conversations, increase understanding and empathy towards those with delirium.
The training film places the viewer inside the head of a patient with delirium in a hospital bed. We see what the patient sees, hear the thoughts in her head and experience some aspects of what delirium causes her to see.
To mark World Delirium Awareness Day 2024, Combined Healthcare announced that the film had gone international, with the launch of a Danish language version, produced in partnership with Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark.
You can watch the training video below either through a VR headset or in via web browser, using the cursor to move around the room.
Virtual reality for wellbeing
Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) staff at Combined Healthcare were the first to become involved in a pilot program of virtual reality wellbeing sessions delivered in partnership with Phase Space VR.
Phase Space’s unique approach uses virtual reality to relieve stress and anxiety in minutes, with effects that last. Driven by cutting-edge innovation, it combines immersive technology and evidence-based therapeutic techniques.
In the pilot, staff had the opportunity to de-stress and reduce anxiety by using a VR headset to experience a virtual reality world consisting of an imagined welcome hall, relaxing graphics and soothing commentary.
An evaluation is taking place, with a view to potentially expand this out to other staff within the trust.
Robbie Williams in VR
The culmination of our REACH 2022 Awards in November 2022 was this special version of Robbie Williams’ ‘Angels’ – performed by the dDeaflinks Choir.
You can watch the virtual reality format of the performance below.
Multi-media exhibition
To mark the NHS’ 75th Birthday on 5 July 2023, we launched a multi-media exhibition to mark the anniversary.
Called ‘Mental Health Reflections. Past. Present. Future. Vault.’, the exhibition featured a virtual reality experience, delivered in partnership with Staffordshire University.
Project Chrysalis virtual tours
Project Chrysalis sets out to further improve the inpatient facilities and patient experiences at Harplands Hospital. The new facilities are part of the biggest single capital investment at Combined Healthcare since the creation of Harplands Hospital.
As part of the launch of the first phase of Project Chrysalis, we unveiled a virtual tour of the new facilities on Ward 3 so that our staff, stakeholders, service users and their families can experience Project Chrysalis for themselves. This was followed up by a virtual tour of phase two on Ward 1.
The virtual tours can be viewed on any web browser or by using a VR headset.
Combined services virtual tours
Our library of virtual tours of all Combined Healthcare sites is being built to provide engaging and informative experiences of our facilities and locations.
By doing this we hope to break down stigmas, as well as increase our openness and accessibility, particularly for service users and their families who might be nervous about engaging with our services.
The tours can also be viewed on our individual service pages.
Combined VR – the next steps
- produce more virtual tours of its clinical areas and services
- broadcast virtual reality recorded and live events to reach a wider audience and increase participation
- launch the Lawton Hub Virtual Room – an innovative digital space featuring state-of-the-art digital walls to deliver a stunning new experience for events, meetings, inductions, organisational development and training activities
