Virtual reality at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust supports women who experience loss during pregnancy

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and its official charity CW+, has recently launched Eirene, a unique project which involves the use of a Smileyscope virtual reality (VR) headset to help support women who experience loss in the early stages of their pregnancies.

Eirene was the winner of the hospital charity’s annual Nurses’ Call 2021, and was conceptualised by Miss Natalie Nunes (Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology) and Lauren Trepte (Research Midwife) at West Middlesex University Hospital. The project centres on providing women with a Smileyscope VR headset during their Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) procedure with the view to lowering their pain score and lessening their anxiety.

The innovative project, funded jointly with the Rosetrees Trust, is named after the Roman goddess of peace and aims to give women who experience an early miscarriage a sense of calm during an emotionally distressing time.  Eirene offers women choice and support. The Smileyscope VR experience enables women to be immersed in a nature scene such as a beach or starry night or an immersive breathing exercise accompanied by soothing music. Whilst using the headset the women can still hear the clinical team offering them support and helping them to focus their thoughts and concentrate on their breathing. 

Lauren Trepte said: “Eirene is a project which is very dear to our hearts, as we sadly meet women in the early stages of their pregnancy who have experienced a loss.  Peace of mind through observing a scene or a guided mediation while undergoing a MVA procedure reduces anxiety and aids relaxation. It gives them an alternative view and the opportunity to meditate, while being supported by our staff, and hopefully improves their mental health outcomes.

“Since launching the project, I have found that women are very receptive to the use of the headsets and like being given the option of a holistic comfort measure alongside normal painkillers.  While supporting women during the procedure, I have seen that they appear relaxed and calm, and we hope Eirene continues to help promote and improve women’s health and wellbeing needs at times of discomfort and distress.”

Natalie Nunes added: “When the headsets are in use, it not only helps keep the women calm and gives them a more pleasant scene to observe, but it changes the entire atmosphere of the room which further improves their experiences. Everyone lowers their voice; instruments are not dropped on the metal trolley with a clang and the focus shifts from just a successfully completed procedure to the holistic and mindful care of the women.

“We also hope to reduce health inequalities as use is not dependent on someone’s command of the English language. Women for whom English is not their first language can still utilise the headsets and have the full experience that an English-speaking woman would have.”

The project has become part of the CW Innovation programme, a joint initiative between the Trust and CW+, which identifies, tests, and evaluates new solutions that improve patient care, patient experience and the way the Trust’s hospitals are run.

Chris Chaney, Chief Executive Officer at CW+, said: “We are delighted that through the CW+ Nurses’ Call 2021, we have helped launch Eirene which uses state-of-the-art technology to help alleviate pain and anxiety to improve women’s health and wellbeing.  Eirene has now joined our extensive portfolio of CW Innovation projects, and we remain committed to incorporating innovation into our thinking.  It’s so important for staff to share ideas and that they are fully supported to bring them to fruition like the Eirene project, which is helping deliver better patient experience and care.”

This is the second project at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust that uses Smileyscope VR headsets, with the first involving charity Thinking of Oscar providing a headset for the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Play Team.  This version uses games, educational experiences and relaxing distraction content to distract, engage or prepare paediatric patients for procedures through the VR experience.

“We are honoured to work with healthcare providers on Eirene at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust,” said Dr. Evelyn Chan, CEO and Co-Founder of Smileyscope. “Collaborating with leading clinicians to reduce pain, anxiety and support women during these challenging procedures is a tremendous opportunity. They share our commitment to innovation and working together to improve health outcomes, equity and patient experience.”

For more information on the work of CW Innovation visit www.cwplus.org.uk

To learn more about Smileyscope, visit www.smileyscope.com

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Please contact Nicki Jayawardene at CW+ for more information:

nicola.jayawardene@cwplus.org.uk

About CW Innovation

The CW Innovation programme, led by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and its charity CW+, identifies and delivers high-impact innovation initiatives that address some of the real-time challenges that healthcare organisations face today.

About Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the top ranked and top performing hospital trusts in the UK. We employ more than 6,000 staff over our two main hospital sites, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital, and across 12 community-based clinics within North West London.  We were rated Outstanding for Well-Led and Use of Resources by the Care Quality Commission.

Both hospitals have major A&E departments, treating over 300,000 patients in a typical year. (1) The Trust is one of the largest maternity services in England, delivering 10,000 babies last year. (2) Our specialist care includes the world-renowned burns service, which is the leading centre in London and the South East; we run Chelsea Children’s Hospital with paediatric inpatient and outpatient services;

and our specialist HIV and award-winning sexual health care services.

We are an emerging leader for innovation within the NHS. Our CW Innovation programme is led jointly by the Trust and CW+ and has led to a number of successful projects adopted elsewhere in the NHS.

About Smileyscope

Smileyscope™ is a leading pioneer in virtual reality (VR) therapeutics focused on managing pain and anxiety for patients. The company's VR headset and proprietary technology, known as Procedural Choreography, replaces negative real-world stimuli with positive VR stimuli resulting in significant reduction in pain and anxiety. The company currently has multiple clinical trials underway and is rapidly expanding its product offerings into additional patient segments.