The latest digital learning film from Combined – unveiled today – features its Digital Trainer FRED (Finance and Resources Expert in Delivery) explaining the principles and practice lying behind our Cost Improvement Programme (CIP).
The film is available in two formats. The first is a traditional 16:9 film, suitable for screens, mobile devices and tablets.
You can watch the 16:9 film by clicking on the image below
The second places FRED in a fully immersive 360 degree virtual reality environment, and can be watched online or for the full immersive experience via a VR headset such as Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest Pro.
You can watch the Virtual Reality experience by clicking on the image below
The new films are the latest stage in Combined’s harnessing of Artificial Intelligence to transform learning and training. They build on a history of digital experimentation, including the launch of the NHS’s first frontline podcast (“NHS Combinations”) in 2019, followed in 2022 by the creation of its digital TV platform (CTV) and pioneering use of virtual reality (CVR) to deliver immersive empathy-based training.
The trust has been exploring how to enhance training through three key aims:
- creating striking digital environments
- developing digital trainers, and
- delivering content in multiple modes.
Using tools like Adobe Firefly, Generative Fill and the new facility from Apple to embed Codex into its Xcode programming tool, the trust can generate immersive training settings—from Victorian classrooms to futuristic spaces—demonstrating how AI can be embedded from the the start of the creative process through the entire production stages to completion.
AI-powered digital avatars, such as FRED build on earlier work during COVID-19 to provide consistent, accessible training without requiring a physical instructor. These digital trainers deliver bite-sized learning modules, supported by interactive quizzes and real-time feedback.
Crucially, the same training content can be deployed across multiple formats: in-room touchscreen sessions, mobile apps, videos, and fully immersive virtual reality environments. Learners can access training anytime, track progress, and generate reports, with integration into learning management systems.
A special edition of the Trust’s “Combined Minds” show explains in detail how AI enables flexible, engaging, and scalable training, moving beyond traditional delivery methods to create a more interactive and accessible learning experience across the organisation.
You can watch the Combined Minds special edition by clicking on the picture below.
For more information about Combined’s innovation in AI, learning and training contact communications@combined.nhs.uk
