Innovative XR training for perinatal mental health
A ground-breaking extended reality (XR) training programme for perinatal mental health gives trainee nurses and other health professionals an immersive simulated experience.
Developed by Health Education England (HEE) in partnership with Fracture Reality, the training programme features a patient avatar called Stacey. Using an XR headset, learners interact with Stacey, who is directed by an instructor and run as a simulation on Fracture Reality’s JoinXR platform. Learners have realistic and natural conversations with her, enabling them to ask her about symptoms and make a diagnosis, as well as taking decisions about putting in place appropriate care and support.
The programme is designed to allow student nurses, doctors and other health professionals to practice their skills in a safe environment, preparing them to transfer those skills to a real-life clinical setting when they progress to mental health nursing jobs and other healthcare roles.
“Stacey provides students and learners with a wealth of scenarios that they may encounter while they are working in a clinical setting, all in a realistic and natural way,” said Rebecca Burgess-Dawson, HEE’s National Clinical Lead for Mental Health.
Thorough evaluation
The programme has been evaluated by the Centre for Immersive Technologies at the University of Leeds. Over 100 people took part in the evaluation, including GP and mental health nurse trainees, as well as trainee doctors and clinical psychologists. Results showed that this immersive method of training is very engaging and useful for both learners and educators, with participants showing significant improvements in cognitive and emotional understanding.
GPs in training reported a reduction in anxiety relating to perinatal mental health consultations. Mental health nursing students showed increased motivation and were more inclined to pursue a career in specialist perinatal mental health nursing.
What is a perinatal mental health service?
Perinatal mental health teams offer help with mental health issues for any woman who is planning a pregnancy, already pregnant or who has a baby up to one year old. According to the NHS website, perinatal mental illness affects up to 27% of new and expectant mums.
The teams give advice about the risk of developing a mental health problem in pregnancy or the postnatal period and how to reduce this risk, as well as providing information on the pros and cons of using medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding. A range of other services offered by the teams include talking therapies, support and advice on building a positive mother-baby relationship, and referral to other services such as charities, which offer practical support for families.
Who is in a perinatal mental health team?
Perinatal mental health teams usually comprise a perinatal psychiatrist, a specialist perinatal mental health nurse and a psychologist to provide talking therapies. Some services may have other professionals as part of the team, such as occupational therapists and nursery nurses. Perinatal mental health teams also work closely with midwives, health visitors, adult mental health teams, obstetricians and GPs.
