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PRESS RELEASE: 18 November 2005

New interactive CD for healthcare scientists launch at Addenbooke's Hospital

A new interactive CD to promote healthcare science as a career is being launched at Addenbrooke's Hospital on Monday 21 November by Dr Mary Archer, chairman of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Addenbrooke's Hospital).

The new Addenbrooke’s VIEW (Virtual Interactive Employer’s Workplace) application is part of a series of interactive CDs, which have been developed by the South East England Development Agency, (SEEDA), with some of the South East’s largest employers including Ford and Gatwick Airport. The innovative learning tools are aimed at providing pupils who are studying the new vocational GCSE courses with a unique insight into the working life of different organisations.

The new VIEW of Addenbrooke's Hospital, developed in association with SEEDA and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and with valuable input from local village colleges at Swavesey and Sawston, will provide students in the EEDA and SEEDA region with an insight into a real working environment inside a modern hospital.

The CD incorporates an interactive behind-the-scenes guided tour of the healthcare science departments in the hospital, along with interviews with some of the employees who work in the various scientific departments, talking about their roles and the importance of their work. Students are able to see first-hand how a hospital with a budget of over £300 million operates and how a few of the 6500 staff go about their daily jobs.

Colin Carr, Associate Director of Operations for Pathology, from Addenbrooke's comments: “Science and its application is crucial for the provision of modern healthcare as doctors increasingly rely on the support of healthcare scientists in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. This is extremely important at Addenbrooke’s Hospital where a range of regional and national services for cancer, organ transplantation neurosciences and genetics are provided. Healthcare scientists also play a vital part in supporting biomedical research and education within the Addenbrooke’s campus. There is a range of exciting careers available in Healthcare Science and this interactive CD will allow young people to experience these in virtual reality. I hope that this will encourage young people to study science and realise that there are many exciting career options open to them.”

This new VIEW application supports the GCSE for Applied Health and Social Care, offering examples and evidence enabling students to explore and investigate parts of a modern hospital and the working environments found there. The virtual tour also provides some evidence in support of the work related curriculum at Key Stage 4.

Director of Learning & Skills at SEEDA, John Parsonage, comments: “SEEDA is pleased to be working collaboratively to deliver this exiting and innovative project. Work-related learning is a vital component of the school curriculum and we must do everything we can to help businesses work more closely with young people. VIEW offers a way of spreading a culture of enterprise throughout the educational system and we believe that VIEW will have an impact on the career choices that youngsters make”.

John Snyder, EEDA board member, said: "Giving young people the opportunity to have virtual access to real workplaces is a valuable initiative, and EEDA is extremely pleased to have worked together with SEEDA on this project.

"EEDA will distribute the CD-Roms to schools across the eastern region through the Education Business Links Organisation network. They will complement the current EEDA 'Pathway Projects' which have developed DVDs and the 'Work with Schools' website to support employer engagement, and provide an information resource for parents, teachers and young people."

The launch event will commence at 11am with opening remarks from Dr Mary Archer, followed by an opportunity for guests to take a virtual tour of the hospital.

If you would like to attend please contact Matt Trace, PR Manager, SEEDA on 01483 500769 or email matthewtrace@seeda.co.uk

ends

For further information, please contact, Matthew Trace, Learning & Skills PR Manager, Tel 01483 500769, Email matthewtrace@seeda.co.uk or visit www.seeda.co.uk

For further information about Addenbrooke's Hospital or to set up pre-recorded filming of healthcare scientists at work, please contact Emma Oram, Press Officer, Tel 01223 274433.

Notes for Editors

1. Companies involved with the VIEW project include Costains (Applied Business), Stoke Mandeville Hospital (Health and Social Care), Gatwick Airport (Tourism & Travel), Ford (Manufacturing), Dover Coastguard (IT) and Eli Lilly (Applied Science).

2. Schools and Colleges in the EEDA region are entitled to a free single user copy of a VIEW of Addenbrooke’s courtesy of this SEEDA funded project.

About SEEDA
SEEDA is the Government funded agency responsible for the economic and social development of the South East of England – the driving force of the UK’s economy. Our aim is to create a prosperous, dynamic and inspirational region by helping businesses compete more effectively, training a highly skilled workforce, supporting and enabling our communities while safeguarding our natural resources and cherishing our rich culture.

About EEDA
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is the driving force behind sustainable economic regeneration in the East of England: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The vision is for the East of England is to create a leading economy, founded on a world class knowledge base, creativity and enterprise to improve the quality of life for all who live and work here. For further information visit www.eeda.org.uk.

For further press/media information contact: PR & Communications Department, Box 53, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ; Tel: 01223 274 433; Fax: 01223 257 143; Minicom: 01223 274 604.