The Imperial College Centre for Engagement and Simulation Science (ICCESS) was established in early 2015 within the Department of Surgery and Cancer. Located within Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, the Centre is led by Professor Roger Kneebone and Dr Fernando Bello, who between them have over thirty years of experience in the field of medical simulation, developing a range of innovative approaches spanning patient focused and hybrid simulation (combining Simulated Patients with benchtop models or computer-based simulators), Distributed Simulation (portable and affordable simulated clinical settings), Sequential Simulation (re-enactment of connected components of care), through to advanced Virtual Reality (VR) and haptics simulator prototypes for a range of surgical interventions and physical examinations. This include both open and minimally invasive (keyhole) approaches, allowing the training and procedure rehearsal of patient specific cases, as well male and female unsighted examinations.
By exploring the potential of simulation in healthcare beyond its more traditional role as a training tool, ICCES continues to innovate in each of its research themes, aiming to combine clinical practice and simulation with rigorous scholarship, working to develop the science of engagement through simulation, where the perspectives of clinicians, scientists, patients and publics come together to address challenges which affect us all.