A virtual reality dome, enabling people to experience a proposed new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, has been unveiled at Derriford Hospital.
The new facility, being commissioned by University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP), is being of the Government’s plans to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.
And patients, staff, and community groups are taking the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new state-of-the-art facilities, with the launch of a virtual reality (VR) run through.
The new centre, designed by Stride Treglown alongside civil and structural engineer, Clarke Bond, and M&E consultant, Hoare Lea, will improve Derriford Hospital’s capacity to treat patients from across Devon and Cornwall in a timely way, in the most up-to-date healthcare environment.
The new building is brought to life as a film of the space is projected across a dome.
During a virtual reality walk through, visitors can experience the flow of the building, and staff can see what their future workspace will look like.
Future Hospitals Programme lead at UHP, Nicola Collas, said: “We’ve had a great response to the dome experience, with people excited about the prospect of working in a state of the art, purpose-built facility.
“Bringing the project to life in this way has really allowed everyone to see with their own eyes how this project will make a huge difference for patients, staff, and the community.”
UHP future hospital director, Stuart Windsor, added: “We know there are increasing numbers of patients who need urgent and emergency care, so to see this new facility, and the increased space it will offer for people who need it most, is brilliant.
“It’s been key for us to invite our staff, stakeholders, and patient groups along to experience this and we’re really excited about the plans for transforming care for patients through investment in our clinical services, as well as through digital transformation.”
The new building will offer facilities for emergency care for people who do not need to be admitted to hospital.
It also includes state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to support faster diagnosis, as well as new interventional radiology theatres and surgical theatres.
To view the footage from the virtual reality experience, click here.