Coventry University hospital simulation designed to help refugees access health services

For refugee communities, accessing NHS services is not always straight forward. There are cultural differences, language barriers and they may not be familiar with the systems used.

What this simulation does is it guides people through their whole visit, from receiving their GP referral letter to seeking treatment at the hospital. We have an English language version, but we’ve also made use of AI in a positive way to create an Arabic language simulation.

Although this particular project is focused on helping refugees, we envisage that immersive technology could be used in a number of different ways within healthcare, so this event is also about showcasing what the technology can do. We have done some testing already and the feedback we have received has been amazing.

This has been a year-long project for our Digital Media Students, and although at this event visitors will be able to view the simulation through VR headsets, the beauty of this experience is it can be viewed on any device.

The investment we have had in our new Delia Derbyshire Building, which features state-of-the-art immersive studios is fantastic for us and as a university I think we are able to experiment with the technology and work with a range of collaborating organisations in a way that perhaps would not be possible for a commercial organisation.

Dr Bianca Wright, organiser of the Immersive Health Event

Refugee communities often face obstacles accessing NHS and other health services and we’re determined to do all we can to help break down these barriers. Exploring the possibilities of simulation technology is one aspect to this and it has been great to see what students at Coventry University have created at UHCW NHS Trust to help assist refugees in the process of seeking treatment.

Dr Alison Duggal, Director of Public Health at Coventry City Council

As an Innovation Hub, having the opportunity to explore the use of VR to introduce migrants and refugees to our Trust has been an incredibly rewarding experience. This initiative has provided us with a unique opportunity to truly understand the hospital experience from their perspective and address the barriers they face when accessing healthcare.

Through our collaboration, the students have been able to deliver a prototype that has been received really positively by service users, through our focus groups. We are excited to continue exploring further scenarios in this innovative way, fostering stronger partnerships and enhancing the healthcare experience for all.

Emily Lucas, Innovation Facilitator at UHCW