Published on: 1 July 2022
A new Digital Innovation Hub has been opened today at Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre, by Mark Garnier, MP for Wyre Forest.
The aim of the new hub is to explore ways of utilising digital technology, to deliver innovative healthcare solutions, to benefit people living in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The new hub, which is known as The Co-Lab, is based in the grounds of Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre, and provides a vibrant, creative space to promote a culture of innovation and collaboration.
The Co-Lab is the result of a partnership between several NHS organisations and private sector partners, who share the same vision. It is designed to provide a unique space for NHS teams, local businesses, schools and universities to meet innovative technology providers, to explore collaboratively how digital technology can transform the delivery of patient care.
Facilities at The Co-Lab include specially adapted meeting rooms to accommodate guests joining virtually as well as in person, and the latest cutting edge technologies, such as a sensory pod, which offers a multi-sensory virtual reality (VR) experience to support mental health and wellbeing, and a portable VR headset for chronic pain relief and anxiety. To support training of clinicians, there is also a ‘Consult Station’, which simulates a consulting room and features equipment for recording an electrocardiogram (ECG) and checking basic observations, such as height and weight.
In addition to the training benefits for clinical staff, it is hoped that by creating an inspiring space for the community, it will encourage young people to seek a career in the NHS and provide an opportunity for local technology companies to work in the health and social care arena, devising solutions to current challenges faced in healthcare.
Commenting on the official opening of The Co-Lab, Mark Garnier, MP for Wyre Forest, said:
“Technology is at the heart of transforming health and social care services and is a key part of the Government’s ambitious plans to drive medical breakthroughs and improve patient care. Digital innovation is clearly fundamental to the new way of working, and it’s exciting for the local area that The Co-Lab will be at the forefront in nurturing groundbreaking healthcare developments.”
Vikki Lewis, Chief Digital Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said:
“The Co-Lab will enable the NHS to develop stronger relationships with educational establishments locally, to help develop the digital skills of the future. We are also keen to ensure that the space supports our staff as a wellbeing space, given the challenges that COVID-19 has presented over the past couple of years.”
Simon Trickett, Chief Executive of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire, added:
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for health and care across our two counties with the establishment of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The Co-Lab is an excellent example of how we work together more closely to tackle some of the specific challenges that we face, and make a positive difference for the communities that we serve.”
More information about The Co-Lab digital innovation hub can be found at: The Co Lab Digital Innovation Hub :: Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care System (hwics.org.uk).
