New medical schools to train more NHS doctors

• Three new NHS medical schools to boost numbers of NHS doctors
• More than 200 extra undergraduate places from next year
• Medical school places to double to 15,000 by 2031 in Long-Term Workforce Plan

Today, the Health & Social Care Secretary will announce three new medical schools as part of a massive expansion of NHS training.

The new centres of excellence will help provide a further 205 undergraduate places from September 2024 to train the next generation of NHS doctors, helping to grow the NHS workforce over the next decade and beyond.

The new schools will be at the University of Worcester, the University of Chester and Brunel University in Uxbridge.

Today’s announcement will contribute to the delivery of the Government’s long-term decision to double the number of medical school places to 15,000 by 2031, strengthening our health services for the future and making sure patients get the treatment they need more quickly.

It comes alongside a new pilot scheme next year that will see 200 medical degree apprenticeships boost doctor training. 

These measures build on the NHS’s Long-Term Workforce Plan unveiled earlier this year, backed by £2.4billion in new funding. Published on the NHS’s 75th anniversary year, the historic document marked the first time any Government has set out a vision for growing the workforce over a decade and beyond.

Health & Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

“I’m delighted to announce today that we are making more than 200 medical school extra places available at universities for next September.

“Most of these places will be going to three new NHS medical schools, meaning hundreds of additional doctors working on the wards in the years to come.

“This will help ensure the NHS is set for the future and that patients get the care they need when they need it.”ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• Three new medical schools will offer at least 50 undergraduate places each from September 2024. The new schools will be at Three Counties Worcester, University of Chester and Brunel University in Uxbridge.
• Existing medical schools will also offer at least 55 more places for the same academic year. This will include 35 new places at the University of Central Lancashire and 20 new places at Edge Hill University.
• Labour claims to back “reform” but their own workforce plan has no new ideas for building the NHS workforce of the future. A plan unveiled by Keir Starmer and shadow health secretary Wes Streeting made no mention of new professional rules or shorter degree courses. They are incapable of taking long-term decisions to build the NHS of the future.
• Labour’s own plan for the NHS workforce entails training 25,000 fewer healthcare professionals than the NHS’s Long-Term Workforce Plan, backed by the Government.