Simulation-based education is a key part of healthcare education at Health Sciences University. It gives students a safe, hands-on environment to build clinical skills, apply knowledge, and develop confidence. Using realistic scenarios and advanced technology, simulation helps bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice.
Located at the Bournemouth campus of the Health Sciences University, our simulation facilities offer two distinct and complementary learning environments. One space is dedicated to clinical skills training, featuring task trainers that allow students to practise specific clinical techniques with precision, supported by real-time feedback to build competence and confidence.
The second space is a designed to replicate real healthcare settings, designed to replicate real healthcare settings. Equipped with high-fidelity manikins, authentic medical equipment, and the environment. This space enables learners to engage in complex simulations that emphasise teamwork, communication, clinical reasoning, and decision-making under pressure.
These environments provide a comprehensive experience, supporting the development of functional, phsyco motor and communication skills. Allowing the ability to apply knowledge effectively in real-world clinical contexts.
Our simulation-based education facilities in London continue to develop and progress as we grow.
The X-Ray Simulation Lab offers a safe, controlled environment for students to develop essential radiographic skills and foundational knowledge free from the risks associated with radiation exposure. It features deactivated radiographic tubes, and the lab enables unlimited practice in key areas such as patient positioning and equipment handling.
The replicable, low-pressure setting allows learners to build confidence and technical proficiency before transitioning to real clinical placements. By mastering core techniques in a risk-free environment, students are better prepared to deliver safe, accurate, and effective radiographic care in professional settings.
Based at Health Sciences University’s Bournemouth campus, our Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Suite plays a central role in preparing students for real-world occupational therapy practice. This specialist facility replicates everyday living environments, enabling students to work with lifelike scenarios involving essential daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, eating, and household activities.
Designed to support hands-on occupational therapy education, the ADL Suite allows students to explore how physical, cognitive, and environmental challenges impact an individual’s ability to live independently. By engaging with realistic case studies in a home-style setting, learners develop key therapeutic skills, from assessing needs and applying interventions, to advising on adaptive equipment and home modifications.
This environment also supports interprofessional learning, with occupational therapy students working alongside peers from physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and other health sciences courses. This results in a collaborative and patient-centred approach that reflects the demands of modern healthcare.
Through repeated, supported practice in the ADL Suite, students gain the confidence, communication skills, and critical thinking needed to provide effective, empathetic care. By bridging the gap between classroom learning and clinical placement, this facility helps future occupational therapists graduate as capable, work-ready professionals.
The VERT (Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training) simulator provides an immersive, risk-free environment for students to learn and practise complex radiotherapy procedures. It accurately replicates a clinical treatment room and linear accelerator, enabling learners to visualise equipment, plan treatment beams, and simulate patient positioning and delivery.
This tool enhances understanding of the entire radiotherapy workflow, supports the development of precision and accuracy, and builds confidence in learners before they progress to real clinical settings. By combining realism with safety, the VERT simulator plays a crucial role in preparing students for the demands of modern radiotherapy practice.
Our dedicated Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) Simulator offers a safe, focused environment for students to develop proficiency in this essential diagnostic tool. Using realistic ultrasound phantoms and advanced simulation software, learners can practise image acquisition, interpretation, and clinical integration through diverse simulated patient cases. This hands-on training, supported by immediate feedback, helps students build the confidence and competence needed to use PoCUS effectively for rapid bedside assessment and decision-making in real clinical settings.
The Force Sensing Table offers a cutting-edge simulation environment designed to enhance and refine chiropractic skills. Developed by the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), this specialised table features embedded force-sensing technology that provides real-time feedback on the application of forces during simulated treatments. The immediate data on force magnitude, speed, and direction enables learners to objectively assess and improve their techniques, fostering greater precision and confidence in performing manual therapy procedures before working with real patients.
Our Anatomage Table offers an exceptional opportunity for detailed anatomical exploration and learning. This life-sized, interactive digital dissection tool presents high-resolution 3D renderings of real human cadavers, enabling students to virtually dissect and study intricate anatomical structures with remarkable clarity. Learners can manipulate and rotate digital bodies, examine organ systems both individually and in relation to each other, and develop a deeper understanding of spatial relationships within the human body. In addition to standard anatomy, the table also features pathological examples and medical imaging, providing valuable insights into clinical correlations and diagnostic imaging. By complementing traditional learning methods, this advanced technology offers a dynamic and engaging way to visualise the complexities of human anatomy, fostering a more comprehensive understanding for our students.
Simulation offers a dynamic, hands-on learning experience that supports professional development at every stage. Key benefits include:
Together, these elements ensure our graduates are prepared, reflective, and ready to meet the demands of the healthcare workforce.
Gary Francis is the Head of Practice Related Learning & Simulation Lead at Health Sciences University (HSU), where he focuses on optimising the student learning experience, through practice-based learning and simulation. Gary began his career in Intensive Care Nursing at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, later moving into a Practice Educator role in 2008, where he supported Nursing and Allied Health Professional (AHP) students on clinical placements. Before joining HSU, Gary spent seven years at London South Bank University, where he served as Associate Professor of Practice Skills & Simulation, establishing their Simulation Department and overseeing the skill-based elements of nursing and AHP programmes.
Gary’s expertise in simulated learning was further recognised in 2017 when he received a prestigious scholarship from the Florence Nightingale Foundation. This opportunity allowed him to explore advanced simulation practices in hospitals and universities across Australia. Holding two Masters degrees in Education and Research from London South Bank University, and a Senior Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy, Gary is passionate about advancing simulation in healthcare education. In this interview, he shares his vision for enhancing student learning and the impact of simulation-based education at HSU.
Gary Francis shares his insights on the significant role of simulation in healthcare training and its transformative impact on student learning at HSU:
“Learners get to apply their knowledge and tackle hands-on clinical thinking and communication skills. It’s about looking at how can we simulate different scenarios and cases to enhance the skills development of our students interprofessionally, across the courses that we offer at Health Sciences University.
“This gives students a safe space where they can practice, independently or together, make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, and enhance their skillset before they go out into practice. This protects patient safety, whilst also ensuring that our students have got strong skills and are attractive to employers.”
“Practice placements are often restricted. Simulation and non-traditional practice learning opportunities can help relieve the pressure that placements can sometimes put on NHS teams, while still meeting regulatory and professional standards and providing an excellent experience for the students.”
“Simulation can also be useful to help students understand what their patients might be experiencing. It might involve an empathy simulation suit, which lets students experience how it might feel to live with those conditions.
“Visual disturbance goggles can mimic conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts and tunnel vision so that students can experience what this is like, and what it’s like to be in someone else’s care when your vision is restricted.
“The more empathy students have around living with such conditions, the better understanding they will have in a real life situation.”
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Health Sciences University
Bournemouth Campus
Parkwood Road
Bournemouth
BH5 2DF
Health Sciences University
London Campus
275 Borough High Street,
London
SE1 1JE