Facilities at the School of Health and Social Work

The School of Health and Social Work specialist facilities are based within Meridian House in Hatfield town centre and College Lane Campus. From clinical skills laboratories to simulation hospital wards and specialist manikins, along with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, you'll have the tools you'll need to enhance your learning experience.

State-of-the-art facilities

Simulation is an essential part of our healthcare programmes where students can practice true to life procedures and scenarios in a realistic yet completely safe environment. Our students benefit from excellent facilities in our specialist simulation laboratories at College Lane Campus and our Clinical Simulation Centre which is dedicated to teaching nursing and midwifery in Meridian House.

For all students

High and low fidelity manikins

All programmes have access to a range of high and low fidelity manikins that cover all ages from premature babies up to elderly people and everything in between! These state-of-the-art manikins can receive a whole host of different procedures depending on the learning session. They can be independently controlled and programmed by our academics and simulation technicians to give you a specific learning experience. Don’t be surprised if they talk to you, breathe, blink, bleed or even give birth!

To complete the practical skills learning, we have a vast array of the latest specialised manikins to support students to learn those vital practical skills before they meet a real patient! These manikins come in a variety of skin tones and ages to represent our diverse student and staff community.

Virtual reality

With the continued development of modern technology to aid the learning of all students, we are pleased to offer our healthcare students with the opportunity to learn in a virtual environment with the latest virtual reality headsets and technology. This allows our students to be fully immersed in their work and develop a thorough understanding of the practical skills they are learning.

Empathy

We also have a range of equipment and learning aids to boost the empathy of our students for their patients. Do you know what it’s like to be a bariatric sized patient, or have a serious visual impairment, or limited movement in your limbs and poor dexterity? We have the learning aids to give you those opportunities.

Staff

Students are supported by a committed team of academics, including specialist simulation and skills staff, many of whom still also work in clinical practise. These academics are then supported by an array of professional and technical teams who support your learning.

Specialised subject facilities

Nursing and Midwifery (Meridian House)
- the Centre comprises of two adult nursing wards and a child nursing ward – all with video recording options via controlled cameras, for purposes of feedback, reflection and de-briefing
- a delivery suite and a birthing room with pool
- two dedicated moving and handling labs, with an array of equipment including hoists, slings and other transfer aids - for teaching safe re-positioning of patients
- a domestic space with video recording options, to mimic a standard community setting with divan bed, coffee table, and comfy chairs
- VR headsets that imitate virtual reality scenarios
- specialist baby and adult manikins which are fully interactive and programmable
Physiotherapy
- five physiotherapy labs with specialist equipment for cardio-respiratory, neurosciences, musculoskeletal, and exercise - giving you the opportunity to enhance practical skills and develop self-confidence. These are available outside of the practical sessions
- two high-fidelity manikins and a large range of low-fidelity ones
Paramedics
- four Paramedic clinical skills teaching labs
- a range of high-fidelity manikins
- a high-tech simulation ambulance used for gaining confidence and preparing students for urgent and emergency scenarios
Diagnostic Radiography
- two x-ray rooms to simulate the equipment you would find in clinical practice
- CT scanner which is a diagnostic imaging device that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce detailed images of the inside of the body
- two ultrasound labs which involves the use of high frequency sound waves to create images of the inside of the body
Therapeutic Radiography
- a virtual linear accelerator (VERT) room. This is a training tool used to deliver radiotherapy treatments, it replicates realistic movements of a radiation beam to position the virtual table and deliver doses of radiotherapy to a virtual patient
- therapeutic radiography planning labs are equipped to allow practical skills learning in all aspects of a patient's journey through radiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
- access to moving and handling equipment
- an adapted specialist living room, bathroom, and kitchen area with a whole host of facilities to promote independent living used by our Occupational Therapists

Coming soon to College Lane

Here is a snapshot of our plans for academic year 2024/25:

two 4 bed hospital wards with latest HD recording facilities and their own control room
two generic teaching spaces
a domestic environment with its own control room and latest HD recording facilities
two Immersive rooms – allowing us to create any environment for our students whether that's a doctors surgery, a student bed-sit, or the middle of a live motorway!

Explore our Meridian House facilities

AccessAble Guide

Clinical Simulation Centre (Health Research Building)

The Clinical Simulation Centre in the Health Research Building is a multi-disciplinary learning environment which is shared with the School of Life and Medical Science. There is a range of teaching and simulation facilities including; ITU/ward simulation area, simulated G.P. surgery and counselling room as well as a mock pharmacy and optical laboratories.

Learning and leisure facilities

A 24-hour Learning Resources Centre and library, can be found in our College Lane Campus.

An unrivalled Sports Village facilities and a large range of student accommodation are also found on the de Havilland Campus.

Read more about the facilities at the University of Hertfordshire.