A HOSPITAL team has secured funding to improve emergency cardiac care.
The Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh (WWL) Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust received an £8,857 grant from NW Hearts Charity to purchase advanced simulation equipment for the cardiac catheterisation lab at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan.
Among the new tools is a high-tech training manikin, affectionately named Annie, which will help teams run realistic emergency scenarios.
Sarah Litherland, Lead Nurse at WWL, said: "We are incredibly grateful to NW Hearts Charity for this grant.
"This advanced manikin allows us to recreate high-pressure scenarios in real-time.
"By practicing together as a full multidisciplinary team, we can ensure our response to unexpected complications is faster, safer, and completely seamless, ultimate saving lives."
Unlike standard resuscitation training, these bespoke exercises will replicate specific complications that can arise during complex cardiac catheter procedures.
The training is designed to improve team communication and rapid response skills in critical situations.
The programme is expected to benefit at least 80 healthcare professionals each year and will be open to NHS staff across Greater Manchester.
Sue Martin, CEO of NW Hearts Charity, said: "As part of our ongoing commitment to improve heart services, facilities and education across Greater Manchester, we are delighted to be able to award a grant of £8,857 to the cardiac catheter lab at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan.
"We receive many applications for funding, and we were particularly impressed by this project, which will offer a dedicated simulation training facility for specialist staff and enable cardiac teams from across Greater Manchester to work more collaboratively; ultimately improving outcomes for patients."
WWL, a major NHS teaching trust, is committed to advancing clinical education.
The new simulation equipment will support its role as a centre of training excellence.
It will enable resident doctors, cardiology specialists, and other healthcare professionals to refine their emergency response skills in a realistic and controlled environment.
The manikin and equipment will allow full multidisciplinary teams - including cardiologists, nurses, radiographers, physiologists, and resuscitation specialists - to train together in real time.
The training aims to support more effective and coordinated care during cardiac emergencies.
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