NHS Backs AI PPE Training for HCIDs

Written By Romulo Correa de Araujo Nunes

The NHS has officially endorsed Blue Mirror’s virtual PPE training platform for High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) protocols — marking a milestone in scalable, hands-on infection prevention education.

At the HCID Networks Day in Liverpool (June 2025), Blue Mirror was recognised as a trusted solution for training healthcare workers in both Suspect and Confirmed HCID PPE procedures.

Why it matters

High Consequence Infectious Diseases — such as Ebola and Lassa fever — pose rare but deadly risks to patients, staff, and healthcare systems. Proper PPE use is the last line of defence, yet traditional training approaches often fail to reach everyone effectively.

  • Studies show even the best PPE ensemble can still lead to cross contamination due to errors in technique but this can be eliminated with practice (Crook et al., 2023).

  • Hand hygiene and PPE compliance improvements are associated with significant reductions in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) — which cost billions and cause thousands of deaths annually (Zimlichman et al., 2013).

  • Geographic, staffing, and time constraints frequently limit access to expert-supervised training.

Blue Mirror addresses these barriers by delivering equitable, high-fidelity, real-time training at scale, helping Trusts meet regulatory obligations without draining precious nursing and educator resources.

How the technology works

Blue Mirror combines artificial intelligence and augmented reality to simulate donning and doffing in a realistic environment. Frontline staff receive immediate feedback on their performance — a key feature shown to improve retention and confidence compared to passive learning (Bialach & Leszczak, 2021).

Here is Blue Mirror in action:

With NHS HCID Networks endorsement, UK hospitals can now implement the platform across wards and shifts, ensuring consistent competency in HCID PPE — protecting both staff and patients when it matters most.

Blue Mirror enables AI Augmented Infection Prevention

Beyond HCIDs: Wider impact

Although the focus is HCIDs, the value of such training extends to all areas of infection prevention:

  • Reducing cross-contamination risks.

  • Minimising occupational exposure incidents.

  • Supporting pandemic preparedness and surge capacity.

For more information about practical, AI-powered PPE and hand hygiene training, visit:
🌐 www.bluemirror.ai

References

  • Crook B, Bailey C, Sykes A, Hoyle MC, Evans C, Poller B, Makison-Booth C, Pocock D, Tuudah C, Athan B, Hall S. Validation of personal protective equipment ensembles, incorporating powered air-purifying respirators protected from contamination, for the care of patients with high-consequence infectious diseases. J Hosp Infect. 2023 Apr;134:71-79. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.01.005. Epub 2023 Jan 27. PMID: 36716796.

  • Zimlichman, E., et al. (2013). Health care–associated infections: a meta-analysis of costs and financial impact. JAMA Intern Med, 173(22), 2039–2046. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.9763

Romulo Correa de Araujo Nunes
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