Australia’s First Paediatric Simulation Centre Launched

At 10am on 18^th May, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir Ac CVO, Governor New South Wales, will open the first dedicated paediatric Simulation Centre in Australia and South East Asia at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. A multi-million dollar project, this facility will undoubtedly save young lives - something of immeasurable benefit to the community. Investing in building upon the talent and capabilities of doctors and other health professionals is vitally important for a healthy future for generations to come.

The Kim Oates Paediatric Simulation Centre, at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, will be a unique facility designed to keep clinical staff skilled in the most cutting-edge treatments for sick children, especially in emergency and procedural scenarios. It will provide priceless training opportunities using advanced technology which replicates real life scenarios and allows for learning, educational innovation, collaboration and research.

"Treating a critically ill child requires a skill set that can only come from hands-on, real time experience. But this kind of experience can't come from exposure to critical care situations in practice, said Ella Scott, the Centre Manager. "The Centre will train those who care for sick children to intervene in patient care instinctively, quickly, consistently and appropriately, using techniques that have been proven to save lives. "

The Kim Oates Australian Paediatric Simulation Centre will not just be a place of learning. It will also be an inter-disciplinary hub of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Professionals who will utilise the Centre include: all clinicians, doctors, nurses and allied health and support staff. The Centre will not only be used to train staff from The Children's Hospital at Westmead but other professionals such as GPs involved in the care of children and young people. The centre will also support those who provide health care in rural areas.

The Centre's platform of life-long learning will mean that health professionals will have regular contact with the Paediatric Simulation Centre right throughout their careers and learn valuable transferable skills.

The Kim Oates Australian Simulation Centre has been developed at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in partnership with Sydney University and funded thanks to private donors The Petre Foundation, James Packer, the Fairbridge Foundation and the Day of Difference Foundation. It is named in honour of Emeritus Professor Kim Oates, who's ambition it was to establish this Centre.  Professor Oates was Chief Executive of The Children's Hospital at Westmead from 1997-2005.

The Children's Hospital at Westmead is the largest paediatric centre in NSW, providing the most advanced care and treatment options for children from NSW, Australia and across the Pacific Rim. 

Established in 1880, The Children's Hospital at Westmead is a stand-alone public Hospital and registered charity with 3,000 staff working in 150 departments. Over 60,000 sick children and their families are cared for each year in a family-focused, healing environment. Funded by the NSW Government, The Children's Hospital at Westmead provides significant enhancements to services aided by the generosity of individual and corporate donors.  For more information visit http://www.chw.edu.au/

Media contact:  Leonie Leonard /Public Relations Manager /The Children's Hospital at Westmead Tel: 02 9845 3583