Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre will now be able to embrace Virtual Reality and the developing technology that comes along with it.

It is with thanks to Professor Bob Stone, his team and Joseph Roberts who have very kindly donated two virtual reality headsets to Primrose Hospice. As well as this donation, Joseph, who is supported at Primrose Hospice by our children and young people’s team has been working with Bob’s team to create a virtual reality walk-through video of Primrose Hospice. This will allow prospective patients, clients and families to experience the Primrose environment before attending in person.

(left to right) Dr Vish Shingari, Charles Stone, Mel Vann-Blockley, Professor Bob Stone and Joseph Roberts at Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre

The Matterport Pro3 is based on LIDAR technology (Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging), coupled with high-resolution image capture, and was designed to “spatially map” an external and/or internal environment in 3D. Once the site scanning has been completed, the results are uploaded to the Matterport Cloud, where advanced image processing and AI software will create a 3D representation of the scanned space.

You can view the virtual tours below – please note it is not necessary to view the tours through a VR headset you can simply view them on your mobile, tablet or computer.

Primrose Hospice Garden: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=gC1sXFKj24g

Coppice Centre: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=8Cf7e8Ujyu8

Day Hospice: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=UQj9eRYL3X3

If you’d like to view the tours through a VR headset learn more here: go.matterport.com/virtual-reality-webxr.html

Bob and his team have also been working with Primrose patients, clients and our teen group to provide virtual reality sessions. Depending on what age group they are working with they have demonstrated virtual reality videos of everything from Spitfire flights to a zipwire ride filmed at The Eden project.

A still taken from the Virtual Reality video of the zipwire experience at the Eden Project.

Virtual Reality can provide immersive and therapeutic experiences and is a valuable tool for stress reduction. The short virtual reality videos Bob and his team provide can create an environment to promote relaxation, stress relief and distraction therapy.

Jenni, Children & Young People’s Practitioner Team Lead at Primrose Hospice said: “Professor Bob and team provided an amazing session with our Teen Group. The highlight was the zip wire over the Eden project but they all had lots of fun exploring the candy land, exploring aircrafts and the David Attenborough relaxation experience.”

A teenage boy using a virtual reality headset to experience a zipwire at the Eden Project as part of the teen support groups Primrose Hospice offer.

Bob’s team have been visiting Primrose Hospice for around 18 months and in that time, they worked with many of our patients including Paul Roberts (Joseph’s Dad) before he sadly died.

Professor Bob Stone said: “Over the many occasions we have been fortunate to visit Primrose with our VR demos, there was no-one more supportive than Paul Roberts. Despite his personal circumstances, he was always hugely enthusiastic to try out our latest demo, give feedback and to suggest ideas for future experiences.  We even managed to source a VR headset so that he could continue with his experiences at home. Since Paul sadly died, his son has donated that very headset to Primrose so that there are now two systems available for everyone to experience our VR and 360 video demos.”

Alison McGarry, Staff Nurse at Primrose Hospice said: “The virtual reality sessions have received very positive feedback from patients, volunteers and staff. As a result of the sessions continuing success, we investigated purchasing a headset but the required annual contract for staff training, maintenance and continued uploading of material was proving to be too much of a financial burden for the Hospice. Bob and his team have since very generously donated a headset and everything else we need to continue virtual reality sessions including their time in addition to their ‘day’ jobs.

The recent addition of the Spitfire flight has proved a firm favourite for many of our patients.

The continued enthusiasm, support, care and compassion that Bob and his team have shown to Primrose Hospice has no limits and I cannot thank them enough.”

A still from a Spitfire Plane virtual reality experience.

Patients at Primrose Hospice using Virtual Reality Headsets.

The virtual reality technology has also provided relaxation for Primrose Hospice’s staff and volunteers through a David Attenborough relaxation experience. We are hoping to use the new headsets as a tool to provide relaxation for our staff and volunteers during challenging times.

Alison, one of the Primrose Hospice nurses using a virtual reality headset.

Professor Bob Stone said: “It’s been a real pleasure working with the Day Hospice patients, the children and young people Primrose support and their staff and volunteers. Without exception, they have all welcomed us to Bromsgrove and have participated in our demos with amazing enthusiasm. 

They have also come up with ideas for future visits, some of which continue to present us with a real challenge! We look forward to continuing this relationship in the future and to trying out new technology and new ideas!”

If you’d like to find out more about Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre visit: primrosehospice.org

or call: 01527 871051