Reflections on The Pandemic: Five Years On

Now that it has been 5 years since the start of the world pandemic, we caught up with our Founder and CEO, Carrie Hamilton, to reflect on how it impacted on the SimComm Academy team.

The pandemic forced many businesses to change the way they operated significantly, what impact did it have on the day-to-day operation of SimComm Academy?

When the pandemic hit, everything changed overnight. Our work with NHS Trusts came to a sudden halt, we simply weren’t allowed into hospitals. It was an incredibly uncertain time, and like many small businesses, we found ourselves at a crossroads, wondering how we’d survive.

But then something unexpected happened, our work with universities grew, slowly at first, but by 2021 they urgently needed support with placements for nursing and AHP students, and they turned to us. We responded quickly, creating simulated placements to meet their needs. Some were delivered online, others face-to-face on campus when it was safe to do so. It was a period of constant adaptation, but also of deep purpose.

We had just managed to run face-to-face communication skills sessions in Germany before borders closed, and our planned in-person delivery of ‘working with actors’ in Bahrain had to pivot into a two-day online webinar. We also used this unexpected pause to work on national accreditation, refine our organisational procedures, and strengthen our governance structures. So, when one considers impact, there were, in fact, some meaningful and positive outcomes during that time.

Please can you tell us some more about simulated placements and how this looked during the pandemic?

Simulated placements, now called simulated practice learning, became our solution and, in many ways, our innovation. We wrote clinical and communication scenarios from scratch, trained actors and facilitators, and created immersive learning environments that felt real, supportive, and transformative.

These simulations weren’t about ticking boxes, they were about helping students develop confidence, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence in the middle of a global crisis. We were trusted to deliver high-quality, meaningful learning experiences during a time when nothing felt certain, and that trust meant everything to us. So too, was the trust from the students and their absolute belief in us, actually, because we believed in them.

What were the biggest challenges during this period?

There were many, both personally and professionally. I contracted COVID in March 2020, before vaccines were available, I was really rather unwell. I remember lying in bed feeling like death, while trying to hold everything together. As I recovered, I entered survival mode, I made a decision to support the freelancers working for SimComm. We were not entitled to furlough, so I took a cut in pay in order to support others in my team. I also made the tough decision to resign from my university post, knowing I had to give all my energy to the business.

My father passed away in June 2020. I was supporting my mother through her grief, co-organising a funeral during lockdown, and trying to hold things together myself.

All four of my children returned home, and one of them, due to the teacher-assessed grading system, missed out on the university place she had worked so hard for. She had to take a year out to re-sit. At the same time, I was supporting my husband through some deeply personal, life-changing events.

As if that wasn’t enough, just as things got busy in 2021, I faced a major staff change. A very experienced team member left, and I had to quickly onboard and guide someone newer to the role, while also supporting others who, though dedicated, were still learning. It was a huge emotional and logistical weight to carry. I worked 150 days straight, including weekends, to keep SimComm Academy together.

What lessons did you and SimComm Academy learn during this period?

We learned that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about showing up, staying human, and holding your values close even when things feel impossible. We learned how to be agile without compromising on care. And we learned that true strength doesn’t always roar – sometimes it’s quiet, consistent, and deeply compassionate.

We also discovered just how powerful simulated learning can be when it’s done with thoughtfulness and emotional intelligence. It wasn’t just a temporary fix; it was a lasting evolution in how we support learners.

What did I learn? Well, I am learning that reflecting on this has forced me to remember that that time was really rather challenging, but here we are five years on.

How has all of this impacted on SimComm Academy in the long term?

That time changed us. It pushed us to grow in ways we never expected. Simulated learning with actors, whether training, creating films or placements is a central, respected part of our offering. We’re more grounded in our purpose.

It also showed us the importance of relationships, within our team, with our clients, and most importantly, with the learners we serve. Everything we do now is rooted in what we lived through: a belief in people, in empathy, and in education that truly supports the whole person.

Personal Reflection

“There were moments during that time when I honestly didn’t know how I was going to keep going. I was grieving, recovering, parenting, caregiving, supporting, and leading, all at once. And yet somehow, we did it. SimComm Academy didn’t just survive, it transformed. We held each other up, we stayed true to our values, and we kept showing up. If there’s one thing I know now, it’s this: the heart of any organisation isn’t found in its strategy or structure, it’s found in its people. And it’s in those quiet, relentless acts of care, even in the darkest of times, that real impact is made”