WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE brings together artistic & technological innovation to explore how arts-based therapeutic content can be combined with XR.

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The rates of mental health problems and demand for mental health services are steadily growing, accelerated by COVID-19, while NHS services are not resourced to meet increasing demand. It has been shown that conscious use of expressive touch improves clinical interactions, hence, patient wellbeing, and studies report a current failure in nursing education to prioritise compassion and empathy as key skills. Addressing gaps in training and therapy provision could provide huge quality and economic benefits.WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE brings together artistic and technological innovation to explore how arts-based therapeutic content combined with XR technologies can provide positive mental health outcomes for patients and ensure effective training outcomes for nurses and carers. The project is patient-centred, focussing on solutions that could be applied, trialled and ultimately adopted at scale, to provide a broad economic benefit to the UK mental health sector, such as 'affective touch' training and empathy skills for nurses.We have identified a significant gap in research into immersive XR technologies towards digital mental health therapies which explore the use of haptics and touch. We have also identified a usual emphasis that prioritises technological innovation as an end in itself over participant experience and emotional impact - this is where this innovative project as a unique combination of arts and technological approach will realign priorities to place the patient's emotional experience front and centre. We will benefit from Greenwich partner ZU-UK's expertise and invaluable input as a disabled-led producing arts company in the field of experiential performance.Former NHS nurse, and Professor of Healthcare Simulation and Workforce Development, Sharon Weldon said "Within Touching Distance is a perfect example of the power art has to push the limits of healthcare simulation and make healthcare professionals think beyond their own reality. The use of technology and touch to raise the importance of empathy is a powerful way of bringing the essence of what care is back to the forefront of what we do"