Dark-skin birthing manikin part of NHS training

A hospital trust has become one of the first in the UK to introduce a dark-skinned birthing manikin to train health professionals.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust purchased the MamaAnne manikin, which is a maternal and birthing simulator, to train staff to deal with emergencies on women with dark skin tones.

Black women are nearly four times more likely than white women to die within six weeks of giving birth, with Asian women 1.8 times more likely, research previously reported.

Specialist midwife Chloe Stevenson said the manikin – which is a life-sized medical model – would train staff to provide the "very best care" to all patients.

She said: "Using manikins that include different skin tones is really important for our staff. It encourages them to be culturally competent and recognise signs and symptoms of deterioration in skin tones.

"It's really important to use manikins for simulated training to improve the credibility of that training, for clinicians to be able to practice their skills in an environment that doesn't affect patient safety."

Simulation training lead Tracey Harrison said the manikin would allow staff to recognise signs such as jaundice and rashes, which is "critical to delivering safe patient care, especially in emergencies".

She said: "Having a dark-skinned manikin allows us to train and recognise clinical signs with patients that may not be as obvious as they would do with someone who is of a paler skin."

Harrison said the manikin would also help staff to recognise when a patient was having a contraction, because it would be displayed on its abdomen.

"You can also hear the foetal hear sounds on the manikin as well," she added.

Bradford Royal Infirmary's simulation centre is an award-winning training facility that can be used as a resuscitation area, operating theatre, ICU room or hospital ward.

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