Exeter College has officially opened its new, fully simulated hospital training ward and life sciences laboratories, giving aspiring healthcare workers in the South West access to modern hospital-standard facilities while they complete their training.
Located at the College’s Hele Road campus in Exeter city centre, the new Bakers Ward facility has been designed in collaboration with key regional partners, including the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (RDUH) and the University of Exeter.
The state-of-the-art medical training spaces will be used to deliver Exeter College’s Higher Education and adult healthcare courses, along with apprenticeships and T Levels. The new facility will help grow local nursing and healthcare talent and address existing NHS workforce needs in the South West.
Bakers Ward received £1.3m in Office for Students grant funding, and at its heart is an eight-bed simulated hospital ward designed in line with current NHS guidelines and fitted with hospital-grade equipment. The new equipment and spaces available to learners include:
- Eight-bed training ward, designed to replicate real clinical environments
- A fully fitted bariatric bay
- State-of-the-art simulated patient mannequins in each bay, fitted with 4D-printed hyper-realistic face masks
- Bespoke simulation software that allows learners to practise responses to a wide range of clinical scenarios, such as heart failure, asthma care and postoperative care
- An AI training package that allows learners to interact with an AI “patient” across hundreds of simulated scenarios
- Live streaming from each bay into a Skills Lab for group training and feedback
-
Alongside the new ward are two fully fitted life sciences laboratories, built to support higher-level scientific and healthcare learning, and equipped to run advanced Biology and Chemistry practicals, such as synthesising aspirin and conducting PCR testing.
Adult courses to use Bakers Ward and the laboratories will include a Nursing Associate apprenticeship delivered in partnership with the University of Exeter, Higher Education Apprenticeship in Assistant Practitioner in Healthcare, Access to Higher Education Health Professions, and Healthcare Skills Bootcamps.
Further Education learners will also benefit from using the facilities, including those studying T Level Health and Level 3 Health Science courses.
By expanding the number of learners that can access high-quality, industry-standard training, the new facility will help strengthen regional healthcare training capacity and, through partnerships with local employers and organisations, support workforce needs across the South West.
RNLI issue bank holiday safety advice as lifeguards return to south west coast
Green light for 300 homes on Exeter city centre car park site
Exeter election hustings hears claims of attacks on campaigners
An Exeter school playing field building scheme deferred
Man charged with murder following death of 87-year-old
Devon head speaks out as survey shows half of leaders say their schools have areas out of use or unfit for purpose
Devon prison officer jailed for relationship with inmate
Bid to upgrade sewage treatment plant responsible for 146 spills in a year
‘Unity’ pledge from Lib Dems ahead of Exeter council elections
Appeal following collision involving car and motorcycle near Sidmouth
Cranbrook Celebrates Major Green Milestone with 5,670 Trees Planted
Teignmouth Council Responds to Public Feedback on Toilet CCTV
Exeter Canal reopens to water users following clear test results
Pundit predicts bleak night for Labour in Exeter
Exmouth mayor opts to cancel fundraising event
Princesshay will be wellbeing hub for Mental Health Awareness week
