A pioneering virtual tour of a Middlesbrough hospital has just been launched – to help ease the anxiety of patients before they visit.
The new 3D tour of the Dalesway unit at Roseberry Park provides a detailed digital walkthrough of key areas including the reception, corridors, and café.
If the tour proves popular, the project could be rolled out to at least ten other Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation (TEWV) sites.
“We know many people feel anxious when visiting a hospital,” said senior administrator Dawn Teeley, of the involvement and engagement team.
“The tour idea came from a meeting I attended with involvement members – carers and former patients – who felt people might be less anxious if they were familiar with a place before a visit.
“That got me thinking about the photo tours you see on property websites, and I started developing ways to adapt the idea to support our patients.”
Tour link now live
Work on creating the virtual visit began in November and involved using high-tech cameras linked to infrared sensors and AI to take detailed digital replicas of the site.
The completed tour has gone live this week on our Trust website and, if it proves popular, more tours could be created over the next year.
“This project really does show the power of co-creation – when we work with patients and carers we can all help to improve services,” said Dawn.
“We have already had some great feedback from people, who are really positive and supportive about the project. It’s great to see it finally become reality.”
The tour link currently includes photos and information about Dalesway, but it can be updated in the future to include maps and videos of the area too.
Simon Adamson, director of estates, facilities and capital, said: “If we can help improve visits to our sites for patients and carers, that can only be a good thing.
“Knowing what a building looks and feels like before you arrive can make the experience so much easier.”
Liam Corbally, head of co-creation at TEWV, added: “I remember the feeling of being told I needed to attend a service for the first time. I was already heightened and struggling to leave the house.
“For me, being able to visualise where I am going, what it looks like, and simple things like where are the toilets, is half the battle.
“If I could have had something that helped me see and understand where I was going beforehand, it would have been huge help for my anxiety.
“It is really exciting that we now have the technology that allows us to do that.”
- The virtual tour can be accessed through the TEWV web page on Roseberry Park at: Roseberry Park Hospital – Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust
