Early on in our work with VR, we had a conversation with Dr Katie Smith, a haemotologist at Basingstoke Hospital’s Wessex Ward, to understand more about patients undergoing treatment for leukaemia. We learned that many of these patients will find themselves in a small, bland room (referred to by patients as their “white box”) for up to 8 weeks at a time, while they undergo treatment and wait for their immune system to recover enough for them to leave isolation. We realised that VR headsets could be a fantastic way to allow a virtual escape from the rather miserable physical surroundings, improve wellbeing through exposure to nature, world travel, creative pursuits and the whole panopoly of experiences made possible through VR. We arranged a visit to the hospital to speak with patients and staff to learn more.
Disconnected from family, colleagues and society at large, patients often feel afraid, alone and bored. This, at an already stressful and traumatic time in their lives. When we spoke directly to patients in the ward, they told us that the hardest thing about their treatment was the psychological impact of being in their “white box” for such prolonged periods. While medical staff and resources are focused on the urgent need to restore patients to physical wellness, these mental health challenges are often, by necessity, somewhat neglected. In partnership with NHS staff – and patients themselves – we sought to discover a low-cost, scalable intervention to minimise the negative impact of deconditioning. We tested simple virtual reality (VR) experiences to determine the potential for a more structured programme.
Perhaps surprisingly, during our conversations, there was barely a mention of the physical discomfort of their situation. Almost without fail, the aspect of their hospital stay which bothered patients the most was mental: boredom, social isolation, a sense of “counting down the hours” until they could leave. Much of patient time was spent on social media, keeping in touch with friends and family. When we asked what experiences they’d most like to see in the headsets, it was telling that most people we spoke to were less interested in crazy VR games and space exploration, but urgently wanted to access the “real world” through VR - to visit their local park and walk their dog, watch the world go by in a cafe, revisit their favourite beach. Evidently, this is a major issue for patients: a feeling of missing out on real life.
The response to VR from patients and staff alike was fantastic, and the idea of using VR in these sorts of environments is very promising. There are various logistical issues such as infection control to be considered in this context, but we see the potential for massive impact on patient (and staff) wellbeing. The strain on NHS resources is well documented and not looking likely to get any less difficult any time soon. We wondered whether VR could help in a way that doesn’t add to the staff’s already heavy workload? Perhaps there could be a different way of thinking about this stay in hospital - can we make it productive, and help support learning a new skill in VR, for example? If so, might there be a measurable impact on the patient’s emotional state? If so, does this have the potential to impact on their physical wellbeing? We’re currently developing plans for a simple process to allow friends and family to create their own 360 degree films that the patient can view in a VR headset: this would enhance social contact and potentially be of great benefit to those in hospital and their loved ones (think of a patient in isolation being able to virtually attend a family gathering, join a trip to the beach, attend a concert…). Much of this would be relatively low cost, quick to produce and potentially with an immediate benefit to those involved. We’re keen to hear from anyone who might like to support the development of this project with hardware or otherwise - send an email to rosie@thefred.company if you’d like to chat!