I started as an E-Learning Designer and Videographer, working with subject matter experts to create engaging and accessible clinical content to support staff training and development across the organisation. But with the pandemic, everything changed. I was offered an opportunity for a secondment with the national NHS England Simulation and Immersive Technologies team to explore the potential of Extended Reality (XR) in supporting simulation-based education. It was a perfect fit: a space where I could combine my creativity and technical skills to develop new, engaging ways of learning.
Over the last few years, I’ve taught myself how to develop immersive content using Unreal Engine, creating interactive clinical VR and 360-degree video experiences for XR devices and facilitating immersive XR training sessions with a variety of staff groups. One of the most impactful projects has been a visual impairment simulator. Staff who’ve used it during facilitated sessions have shared incredibly moving feedback.
The most significant highlight has been my experience in developing a patient wellbeing initiative which enables patients who are isolated in hospital environments long-term, to virtually experience the outside world and revisit familiar local places that are meaningful to them. This project has been very close to my heart and seeing the smiles, the moments of joy, and hearing genuine excitement from patients has been so powerful.
Looking ahead, XR is evolving fast and with it comes huge potential to improve how we teach, train staff and how we deliver and improve care. To anyone starting out: be bold. Be curious. Push boundaries. Don’t be afraid to fail. And know that your path doesn’t have to be linear to lead to something amazing.