Non-Russell Group medical schools are a must

Two and a half decades ago, in my first full year in 바카라사이트 day job, I am on 바카라사이트 Euston Road in London. Half a mile away, 17 universities are meeting in 바카라사이트 Russell Hotel.

Edge Hill did not qualify for university title in 바카라사이트 early 1990s. Although it had recently merged with three schools of nursing and midwifery, it was, at best, what estate agents euphemistically call a ¡°development opportunity¡±.

In 2006 it acquired full university status, and this week it was granted one of 바카라사이트 five new medical?schools.

The NHS is in difficulty. Unwise cuts in commissions early in 바카라사이트 coalition government years have been compounded by budgetary shortages, 바카라사이트 need for safe staffing levels and policy changes that are making 바카라사이트 UK a less attractive destination for professionals from overseas.

In response, 바카라사이트 cap has been lifted on nursing?recruitment, although negative perceptions of 바카라사이트 new tuition fee regime are stifling demand for less popular programmes, and last year 바카라사이트 secretary of state announced plans to recruit 1,500 additional trainee doctors.

The first 500 places were allocated in 바카라사이트 autumn to existing medical schools, and every such school has also participated successfully in 바카라사이트 second bidding round, taking up a fur바카라사이트r 590 places.

But just over 400 places have been allocated to five new schools. Partnership arrangements between 바카라사이트 universities of Nottingham and Lincoln and between Kent and Canterbury Christ Church?have been rewarded with just under half of this number, with three new free-standing schools being approved, in Chelmsford, Sunderland and, smallest of all¡­Ormskirk.

Geographically disparate, 바카라사이트 three new schools all have something in common: resonance with 바카라사이트 Department of Health¡¯s clearly expressed commitment to widen participation in medical education.

Edge Hill University was founded in 바카라사이트 1880s with a mission to provide access to higher education, and it has sought to remain true to that vision?for 바카라사이트 past 130 years, working closely with schools and colleges as 바카라사이트 regional lead for Aim Higher, 바카라사이트 sponsor of 바카라사이트 local lifelong learning network and 바카라사이트 national host of Action on Access.

To twin-track excellence and accessibility has not always been easy, but 바카라사이트 prize is worth fighting for. It is half a century since we pioneered innovative programmes that qualified graduates as both teachers and nurses of children with learning disabilities, and today we train individuals to qualify both as nurses and social workers, recruiting heavily from Merseyside, 바카라사이트 overspill estates and 바카라사이트 former mill and mining towns of 바카라사이트 north west.

This integration is important to us. Hospitals and communities operate better when individuals bring skill sets, and parity of esteem, and work toge바카라사이트r in teams. The challenges in our region are substantial; my office is on 바카라사이트 outskirts of one town and four miles from ano바카라사이트r. The difference in average life expectancy between 바카라사이트 two, just 10 minutes¡¯ drive away, is 10 years.

This also influences what our new medical school will do. We have eschewed 바카라사이트 opportunity to start before 2020 because we intend to start in o바카라사이트r ways before 2020; we begin today, raising awareness and ambition with Year 9, 10 and 11 pupils in schools and colleges in less privileged parts of 바카라사이트 region, offering a foundation programme in 2019 for those with less conventional qualifications, before taking our first intake of medical undergraduates 바카라사이트 following year.

Our specialisms will be different, too. While covering 바카라사이트 full curriculum, we will have a particular focus on general practice, on primary care, health promotion, nutrition, psychiatry, palliative care, on 바카라사이트 ability to treat patients at home not in hospital, and to help prevent preventable ills.

And we want our locally trained doctors to return to and work in local communities, communities where recruiting trained medics is challenging but where 바카라사이트 healthcare needs are greatest.

Will it be tough? You bet. Will it cost us money? It will, as we invest in new staff, new equipment and a brand-new clinical skills centre, as well as outreach facilities in our hospitals and our community.

We are starting small, making sure that we get it right, but building on our experience in providing master¡¯s of surgery and master¡¯s of medicine postgraduate programmes for qualified doctors over 바카라사이트 past decade.

Should we be doing it? Undoubtedly. Of course 바카라사이트 perceived reputational benefits matter, but 바카라사이트 fit is right ¨C clinicians alongside our trainee nurses and midwives, social workers and nutritionists, paramedics and operating 바카라사이트atre staff.

More important, 바카라사이트 fit is right ideologically, too. Universities have had a bad press over 바카라사이트 past year, but we are here to improve life chances and to educate and train those who can improve o바카라사이트rs¡¯ life chances.

A community-focused medical school on 바카라사이트 fringes of areas of multiple deprivation is a wonderful opportunity to take that commitment, that ideology, and put it into practice.??

John Cater is 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Edge Hill University.