Skip to main content
Media centre

Health bodies benefit from graduates’ digital skills

12 July 2017

 

Computing graduates at Teesside University have been using their digital skills to develop innovative ways to help health organisations keep staff and the public better informed about new initiatives.

From left: Kayleigh Stevens (BA(Hons) Computer Games Animation graduate); Eleanor Land (Senior Lecturer, School of Computing); Gerard Danjoux (Consultant in Anaesthesia) and (seated) Zoe Llewellyn (BA(Hons) Computer Character Animation graduate)
From left: Kayleigh Stevens (BA(Hons) Computer Games Animation graduate); Eleanor Land (Senior Lecturer, School of Computing); Gerard Danjoux (Consultant in Anaesthesia) and (seated) Zoe Llewellyn (BA(Hons) Computer Character Animation graduate)

Computing graduates at Teesside University have been using their digital skills to develop innovative ways to help health organisations keep staff and the public better informed about new initiatives.

The Digital Studio in Teesside University’s School of Computing has been working with Public Health England and the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust to provide accessible learning tools for health professionals and the general public.

Public Health England commissioned the University to design a digital toolkit to help people learn about the support for tackling obesity. As well as developing content for gov.uk and accompanying PDF factsheets, the Studio also produced a two minute animation for the website.

The team at the Studio has also produced an educational toolkit (supported by an innovative animation) in collaboration with doctors from South Tees NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees CCG.

The project, which is being led by Gerard Danjoux (Honorary Professor at Teesside University and Consultant in Anaesthesia), is aimed at educating primary care clinicians with respect to improving patient health and fitness prior to major surgery.

The toolkit is the first of its kind internationally and recently won first prize free paper at an international conference in Edinburgh. Leading on from the success of this project the animation is presently being adapted for the patient audience. The team are working together with the Royal College of Anaesthetists to secure high-level national healthcare endorsement and adoption of the toolkit.

The Studio has been developed as part of Teesside University’s employability agenda and consists of 10 graduate interns from the School of Computing who have been working on a series of internal and external digital projects.

Kayleigh Stevens, a BA (Hons) Computer Games Animation graduate, said: 'It’s been a fantastic experience working on these projects.

'It was quite nerve-wracking at first as I was involved quite heavily in dealing directly with the clients, so it was a massive learning curve.

'However, the University has been really supportive and given me all the help and encouragement I needed.'

Siobhan Fenton, Associate Dean (Enterprise & Business Engagement) in Teesside University’s School of Computing, said: 'Working on live projects like these has fantastic benefits for everybody concerned.

'The animations are the result of some excellent multi-disciplinary working. As well as our computing graduates, we’ve worked alongside graphic designers and colleagues from the School of Health & Social Care.

'Liaising and working alongside clients gives graduates a stepping stone into employment and helps make them work ready, or maybe consider starting up their own companies.

'It’s also of enormous benefit to our staff as they are able to ascertain what employers are wanting from students and this helps inform their teaching.'


 
 
Go to top menu