International Health Humanities Network Membership

Nicholas Peres is Lead for Learning Technologies Research and Development at Torbay Hospital, working in innovation, education and pioneering new visual technologies that have a focus towards patient care.  He is a PhD Researcher at the University of Plymouth based within Transtechnology Research situated in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.  

His PhD work within Transtechnology is primarily aimed towards understanding and using cinematic media to represent the patient voice and perspective for medical education, but remains firmly rooted in the groups shared objective of understanding science and technology as a manifestation of a range of human desires and cultural imperatives.    

Nick’s initial research to investigate the filmic benefit of capturing patient perspectives led to the innovative PatientVR – a worldwide first use of virtual reality and immersive video for clinicians/viewers to experience what it is like to see the hospital journey through the patient’s eyes, a project which is now actively being trialled at South Devon Healthcare Foundation Trust.

His continued work focuses on the power and benefit of media arts and immersive experience playback, particularly the use of film to represent a patient voice and need. This research has a particular emphasis on delivering experiences that focus on care and compassion, frequently drawing upon theories and practice that include simulation, film studies, cinema therapies, visual metaphors and media production.   

Nick has presented and spoken at a number of events, seminars and workshops in the Arts and Humanities space, which this year will include healthcare conferences such as ASPiH and Inside Government’s Raising the Quality of Hospital Standards forum.  

 Nick has previously worked in broadcast and film production, having studied a BA(hons) in Documentary Screen Production at the University of Winchester.  He continues to make and teach film making workshops and feels passionately at films empowering ability for people to tell stories.