HEE Launches VR App for Nurses to Experience Prison Healthcare Settings

The Health Education England (HEE) has partnered with NHS England’s National Health and Justice team to develop a virtual reality (VR) app that allows the nurses to experience what a role working in an adult prison would be like.

The VR360 app is an immersive experience that delivers an overview of what it’s like working in a prison healthcare setting, including the challenges and the benefits. The app includes a series of interviews with a mental health nurse, a healthcare officer and a GP to explain more about healthcare with prisons.

It also includes five real-life scenarios based on interactions between patients and practitioners. Users can choose the most appropriate action relating to issues around prescriptions and referrals to hospitals.

The app was co-developed by HEE’s national nursing and midwifery directorate and can be accessed and downloaded for the HEE elearning for healthcare hub.

This app is a part of an ongoing effort by NHS England and NHS Improvement to boost healthcare access for prisoners since 2020.