A new digital care hub has been launched by the University of Edinburgh, in partnership with Edinburgh College, to provide greater skills and opportunities to health and care students.

Based at the College’s Sighthill Campus, the hub aims to provide students with transferrable skills to boost a future career in areas including Health and Social Care, Dental and Pharmacy with a particular emphasis on technology enabled care.

The hub will focus on building students’ digital and practical skills through its state-of-the-art equipment, as well as supporting experiential learning.

It contains a replica medical ward with patient room, toilet, and wet room facilities; an infection control and decontamination area; a reflection room; a care at home room; as well as a virtual reality room designed to give students an immersive experience which demonstrates how a patient with dementia experiences day-to-day life.

Students will also have access to realistic patient simulators that provide real-world conditions for learning, in a variety of care settings, which will help to develop patient testing and care skills.

Key to the role of the digital care hub is “embedding the principles of professionalism amongst students”, Edinburgh University said, as well as “fostering the meta skills required to work in a care environment” which include communication, nurture, resilience, initiative, and leadership.

Commenting on the new hub, Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are delighted to work with Edinburgh College on the Digital Care Hub, which will be an excellent resource for those considering a career within health and social care.

“Harnessing technology to support learning in this way and simulate real-life scenarios in the workplace will enable students to make informed choices about their future, built on their own ambitions and potential.”

Professor Jonathan Seckl, Senior Vice-Principal, the University of Edinburgh, added: “The Digital Care Hub is an exceptional facility for students considering a career within health and social care. It uses cutting-edge simulation technology and real-life scenarios to support learning for 21st century healthcare jobs.

“It will enable students to make rapid progress, gain skills and make informed choices about their future careers. This innovative partnership with Edinburgh College offers a completely new approach to support learners exploring a career in healthcare professions.

“This is a new horizon for both the College and the University. I hope it is the forerunner of similar technology-enabled programmes to support talented learners towards skilled work via the College, the University or both.”

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The new facility will also host the Edinburgh College and University of Edinburgh Social Care Academy which provides an “agile pathway” to a career in health and social care specifically for school pupils.

As part of the programme, pupils will study units in digital skills for health and social care, mental health, the human body, infection prevention and control and safe beginners for health and social care.

Pupils will then be able to progress on to further studies with the College or university or advance into employment.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford commented: “We are delighted to be launching our Digital Care Hub in partnership with the University of Edinburgh.

“The facility will provide practical learning experiences for pupils and students as well as exposing them to many sector specialisms which they ordinarily might miss out on without having access to specialist equipment in a health and care setting.”

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