SANTTSUR wins UK Telemedicine and Telecare Award!
A pioneering distance-learning programme for trainee surgeons, developed in Britain by the University of Plymouth, has just been awarded the prestigious Royal Society of Medicine's Telemedicine and Telecare in the National Health Service award, for outstanding research and development.
The SANTTSUR (SAtellite Network Telematics Training for SURgeons) teleSTEP programme is managed by the University of Plymouth together with the Royal College of Surgeons and Plymouth Enterprise Partnerships, and is partly funded by ESA. At present, 26 hospitals in the British Isles participate in this programme, which trains doctors to prepare for membership of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Regular satellite television sessions are broadcast from the University of Plymouth TV studio via the TDS4b uplink on loan from ESA. This enables trainee surgeons at hospitals participating in the scheme to watch specialists from teaching hospitals demonstrate surgical techniques live. Trainees are also able to link from their remote site back to the studio and take part in discussions with the studio guests via telephone, email and video conferencing.
This interactive learning environment saves valuable time, both for students and Surgical Tutors as neither have to leave their workplace. Students also benefit by having access to the best expertise from different teaching hospitals.
SANTTSUR is part of ESA’s ARTES 3 Multimedia programme.
