Healthcare technology training

Advances in medical technology hit the headlines on a daily basis, but unless medical staff are trained to use the new tools, patients will be unable to benefit. A new £2 million NHS training hub at

aims to address the potential skills gap by training health workers in using the latest medical equipment.

The new centre, named THOTH (The Training Hub for Operative Technologies in Healthcare), based at Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust, will become a centre of excellence that will set the standards for training in the use of the most advanced technologies in healthcare.

THOTH will work alongside universities and a wide range of companies in the medical device and high tech sectors. Together they will develop and identify training needs for healthcare staff operating emerging technologies such as those used in minimally invasive therapies.

It will identify training gaps which have been created by changing technology demands and new training needs, and establish and manage a stakeholder network to facilitate the sharing of knowledge between academia, the NHS and business.

Dr Aniko Zagon, Manager of THOTH said, "As well as developing training for emerging technologies, we will take existing tools and explore alternative training methods utilising new technologies. By providing high quality structured training programmes for NHS staff, more patients will be able to benefit from the latest technologies."

The Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Sainsbury, announced the new funding for THOTH. THOTH was one of 29 bidders that have been awarded cash from the Government's Public Sector Research Exploitation (PSRE) initiative. The hub will be launched formally later this year.