Trauma care mannequins donation to boost training

New mannequins for training doctors in trauma care on the Isle of Man that allow repeated procedures will "directly benefit patients" in future, a charity has said.

The Isle of Man Medical Research Charitable Trust has donated £25,000 to pay for the specialist kit, which is used at Keyll Darree.

The equipment is used by the Mersey Advanced Trauma Life Support Group to train doctors in the specialist care at the island's Medical Clinical Skills Centre.

The course, which takes place twice a year, previously used specially prepared animal carcases to simulate trauma patients.

Director of medical education for Manx Care Adrian Dashfield said the mannequins would “make a big difference" to the training by allowing students to more easily repeat procedures.

That would be of "of huge benefit to them when treating our patients", he added.

The health care provider said a number of practical skills were covered on the two-day course, which was taught worldwide.

They included the insertion of a chest drain, as well as practicing emergency airway access at the front of the neck, for patients that have extensive trauma to the face and mouth that has left them unable to breathe.

Teaching those skills previously relied on the use of part of a sheep carcass, which had to be prepared by a specialist butcher in Liverpool, but the Royal College of Surgeons recommends using mannequins if available.

Manx Care said that thanks to the donation, the training team was "now in the fortunate position to have the most appropriate equipment available".

Chairman of the trust, Rory McCann, said the charity was "very happy" to provide the funding to allow medical professionals on the island reach "the highest standards which will directly benefit patients on the island and further afield”.

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