A custom-built education centre equipped with advanced simulation tools to accelerate learning and training for NHS staff has been officially opened by Scotland’s Health Secretary.

The new Skills and Simulation Centre at the NHS Golden Jubilee University National Hospital in Clydebank will train healthcare practitioners in simulated real-world environments, allowing them to hone their skills in a safe, controlled setting.

Formally opened this morning by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care Neil Gray, the new centre is run by NHS Scotland Academy – a partnership between NHS Education for Scotland and NHS Golden Jubilee launched in 2021 to address NHS workforce needs with enhanced training,

Health Secretary Neil Gray said investing in NHS staff training and development with innovative technology will be an important part of health service reform in the future:

“Harnessing the latest technology is an important part of our plan to reform and recover Scotland’s NHS. It’s exciting to see how the innovations in the Skills and Simulation Centre will be used to accelerate training skills by providing unprecedented hands-on experience.

“The NHS workforce is our greatest asset and that is why it’s so important to invest in their training and development.

“Quicker and more effective training will help to improve diagnostic accuracy and therefore patient outcomes as well as address workforce pressures and aid retention of staff across NHS Scotland.”

The new centre is expected to train more than 800 healthcare staff during its first year of operation, with a focus on areas with a high workforce demand like endoscopy.

Nurses will also have a chance to develop their operating theatre skills in just six months – half the time it used to take.

Director of NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation, Kevin Kelman, said the team were thrilled to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to the centre this morning as it launches this next phase in its mission to support NHS staff to provide the best possible care:

“As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the NHS Scotland Academy remains committed to fostering innovation and excellence in health and social care education.

“The launch of the Skills and Simulation Centre reaffirms its position at the forefront of medical training, empowering the future NHS workforce to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care to all.”

Read more: Digital diagnostics ‘pivotal step’ for COPD; Mr Yousaf: “Scotland is a great place to work”

 

Sign up to our bulletin for key health & social care updates straight to your inbox and you can follow healthandcare.scot on Google News.