Berkshire training facility hopes to fix staff shortages

A new training centre for NHS staff and students that simulates a hospital environment has opened.

The University of Reading has partnered with the Royal Berkshire Hospital to create the new clinical simulation training suite.

The facility is a recreation of a four-bed hospital ward, including specialist equipment, video link facilities and consultation spaces. 

It was paid for by a £2.63m grant from the government’s Office for Students.

University health director Prof Orla Kennedy said the suite would “help address the urgent need for additional medical and healthcare training spaces in Berkshire”.

The facility is on the university’s Whiteknights campus and also features anatomage tables, which offer 3D anatomy visualisation and virtual dissection tools.