Healthcare technology training centre to be set up at Imperial

A new £2m NHS training hub at Imperial College London will help health workers become skilled in using the latest medical technology.

The new centre, named THOTH (The Training Hub for Operative Technologies in Healthcare), based at Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust, will become a centre of excellence that will set the standards for training in the use of the most advanced technologies in healthcare.

THOTH will work alongside universities and a wide range of companies in the medical device and high tech sectors. Together they will develop and identify training needs for healthcare staff operating emerging technologies such as those used in minimally invasive therapies.

It will identify training gaps which have been created by changing technology demands and new training needs, and establish and manage a stakeholder network to facilitate the sharing of knowledge between academia, the NHS and business.

Professor Sir Ara Darzi from Imperial College London and Chairman of the new centre said: "THOTH is unique in its focus on advanced training methods for advanced technology. Our vision is to become a world centre for technology training."

Dr Aniko Zagon, Manager of THOTH said: "As well as developing training for emerging technologies, we will take existing tools and explore alternative training methods utilising new technologies. By providing high quality structured training programmes for NHS staff, more patients will be able to benefit from the latest technologies."

Sir Richard Sykes, Rector of Imperial College London, added: "In addition to his remarkable skills as a surgeon, Ara has been a pioneer in the introduction of innovative new technologies to improve patient care. I believe his appointment to lead THOTH will prove of enormous benefit to improving patient care."

New funding for THOTH was announced by the Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Sainsbury. THOTH was one of 29 bidders that have been awarded cash from the Government's Public Sector Research Exploitation (PSRE) initiative. The PSRE funding is £1.7m, and the Department of Health and Imperial College will also be providing funding. THOTH is currently reviewing training needs. The hub will be launched formally later this year.