Eastbourne DGH is one of only eight approved hospitals in the United Kingdom to offer simulation training for new specialist cardiac doctors to improve their skills with heart procedures using high-tech mannequins and IT training devices.
Professor Nikhil Patel demonstrates stitching technique to specialist cardiac doctors
Professor Nikhil Patel, Consultant Cardiologist and Course Director said: “We are delighted to be taking part in this improved form of training for cardiac doctors and proud that Eastbourne DGH is one of a handful of hospitals in the UK selected to be involved.
“Simulation training has been around a long time in the aviation industry and is now integral in medical training. This training uses high-tech mannequins and simulators to help junior doctors learn and develop their technique so that they are safe and prepared before they perform these procedures on patients.
“I am pleased with the feedback we had from the British Cardiac Society on our course as well as the trainees themselves who were extremely positive.”
The simulation training covered team working, angiography (examining blood vessels using X-ray), pace making procedures and cardiac echocardiography. The British Cardiovascular Society mandate that all cardiology trainees should undertake a course incorporating simulation based training before, or very early on in their cardiology career. The two day course held at Eastbourne DGH had ten cardiology registrars. It included a mixture of lectures and small group sessions, which were led by experienced clinicians, Dr Richard Veasey, Dr Andrew Marshall as well as Steve Rochester and the resuscitation team.