Oxfordshire’s ambulance crews are training with realistic scenario drills that recreate the look, feel, sounds - and even smells - of an emergency to ensure they know exactly what to do in the real-life situation.

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) said its new simulation facilities are fit for the set of a Hollywood blockbuster.

From a suite showing projections of real-life scenarios, a 3D printer to make bones, trauma mannequins and a talented special effects make-up team, the education team has created a cutting-edge learning environment.

The equipment, which also includes a fleet of simulation vehicles, has been showcased as part of Healthcare Simulation Week 2021, run by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

Among the vehicles available to students and staff are two large ambulance simulators known as Simbulance 1 and 2.

Simbulance 2 houses audio and visual recording equipment, a visual playback monitor, fully portable camera recording system and a TV built into the sliding door.

This provides the ability to “stream” what crews are doing on the inside and undertake instant debriefs outside.

The immersive interactive training suite provides sounds and smells such as burning wood or nightclubs, while one training centre includes a shop front and street – complete with a traffic safety barrier – for lifelike scenario drills.

In addition a new ambulance room, aptly named Roombulance, has been created out of an non-roadworthy vehicle and installed at the recently opened Whiteley Education Centre.

Oxford Mail:

SCAS education centres are located in Bicester, Newbury and Whiteley and provide the full range of clinical, driving and patient transport training to students and staff from across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex.

“We are incredibly proud of our state-of-the-art simulation centres and combined technology studio,” said Wayne Evans, Education Manager for Clinical Simulation at SCAS.

“The amazing benefits of our simulation centres is that we can create such realistic scenarios that instils not only confidence in our staff but takes our training to the next level.

“The beauty of simulation is that we can create true to life emergencies without the consequence.”

Darren Best, Senior Education Manager at SCAS, added: “It is important we provide the best possible training environment and facilities to our students and staff to ensure they can provide the highest standards of care to our patients.

“We have developed something truly special in terms of our simulation centres and what we can offer, ensuring every last detail is covered so the scenarios staff encounter are as close as possible to the real thing and providing learning through real-time analysis.”

Find out more about the team's work via this short video: https://youtu.be/VE0O1dSESFc