BMET & OU Essential Homecare Services

About the Case – Overview

The Open University collaboration with Essential Homecare Services developing skills of risk assessment to safeguard older people in the community using a 3D simulated approach.

This project is unique in its application – there is nothing else like it now.  This project brings practitioner and pedagogical practice together with technology to offer consistency in learning and training.  The collaboration worked with Essential Homecare Services who are a community care business providing a high standard of care to the elderly and people with physical and learning difficulties in the comfort of their own home.  Training and learning in this environment are currently based on e-learning and classroom-based learning.  It has been established that these styles of learning are no longer adequate to equip front line practitioners to undertake complex risk assessment in social care specifically in adult protection.  The solution to this is 3D simulation in a virtual environment which constitutes an innovative method of learning preparing staff to deal with real-life situations.  3D simulation has increasingly been used in education to develop skills and knowledge.  This project represents a new and novel way to deliver core social care skills in relation to risk assessment virtually.