With Manchester quickly becoming one of the leading cities for growth and innovation in the UK, local authorities have been examining means of boosting its reputation for excellence in education and training. This has led to Nuffield Health being granted planning permission for a new private hospital, which will involve collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), geared towards research, development and staff training.
The new £50 million facility, located on the university’s former Elizabeth Gaskell campus, lies between St Mary’s Hospital and the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Although the site’s six buildings are currently occupied by MMU’s faculty of health, psychology and social care, the department will vacate the campus and move to the new £140 million Birley Fields campus in Hulme, which is due to be completed in October of this year.
Group chief executive at Nuffield, David Mobbs, believes the new partnership with MMU will allow for greater public access to healthcare facilities in Manchester and the surrounding area.
He says; “We are very much looking forward to the collaboration with the university.
“[This is] a partnership which we believe will serve as a springboard to significantly improve the region’s healthcare provision and make a lasting contribution to the economy and general wellbeing of everyone who lives and works in the North West.”
Although the creation of the new “tertiary” hospital forms a major part of the partnership, MMU is also set to benefit in a number of other ways. Nuffield Health has already agreed, for example, to sponsor a university chair in Wellbeing, which will open the doors for increased funding for research into public health and health promotion.
In addition, Nuffield Health will create work placement positions for undergraduates at the university, provide support for postgraduate research in physiotherapy and wellbeing and aid MMU in developing Masters and professional development programmes. Finally, the continuing collaboration will allow the partnership to unlock other funding sources for joint projects, meaning both staff and students will be able to benefit from greater levels of financial support in future.
Professor John Brooks, vice chancellor at MMU, expressed his excitement at what could potentially be a game-changing partnership for the university’s health and social care courses.
He said; “I am delighted that Nuffield Health has chosen this university as a strategic partner and will sponsor a chair in Wellbeing.
“I am confident that the partnership will play to the strengths of both parties and will evolve to make a significant contribution to the policy framework for health and wellbeing in the UK.”
No further information has as yet been released by the partnership regarding a timeframe for the construction of the healthcare property, although it is believed that site clearance work and demolition of existing buildings could begin as early as October. Should this be the case, the project should be well underway by summer 2015 – paving the way for an exciting new era of medical education in not only Manchester, but in the North West as a whole.
Previous Post
Buyer found for Kidderminster Sealine Factory
