£20,000 life size model of dead actress to help medical students in Doncaster

The realistic doll is modelled on the body of a former actress who donated her body to medical science when she died.

The mannequin – which has been dubbed Vivian – is described as RDaSH’s “hi-tech patient, who is set to provide a range of realistic training situations for clinical staff.”

Accurately modelled on the 82-year-old, Vivian features accurate details such as veins, hair, an airway, eyes that can be manually opened, and a speaker system that allows her to talk and explain how she is feeling.

Costing £20,000, the lifelike doll is based at the new Resuscitation Training Suite at Tickhill Road.

In charge of the unit is Learning and Development Facilitator and Resuscitation Officer Millie Soley - pictured with Vivian - who said: “Vivian is a superb body simulation who is taking medical training to a new level.

“Weighing as much as an average older lady, she will feature in lots of different training programmes, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and moving and handling of patients.

“She has realistic skin and nails and simulated veins for teaching staff how to insert a canula. And her voice box means we can create a variety of training scenarios where she is having a two-way conversation with clinicians and, for example, drifting in and out of consciousness to add to the realism.”

RDaSH staff from across Rotherham, Doncaster and North Lincolnshire will take part in training programmes with Vivian, who was designed and produced by a specialist company based at London’s famous Elstree Film Studios.