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UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER THE THREE COUNTIES MEDICAL SCHOOL “Our healthcare professional graduates already make “”a hugely beneficial impact on the health and wellbeing of our local communities. The opportunity to expand this further across the counties of , and , through the creation of a new Medical School, will make a transformative contribution to the region’s health workforce.” Professor Sarah Greer Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost University of Worcester, and Chair Three Counties Medical School Project Three Counties Medical School 3

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted an integrated community placement. We the importance of urgently addressing will fully utilise the untapped resource of Our existing shortages of doctors, GPs and other community hospitals as a training ground vital healthcare professionals nationally for students, working alongside professionals Vision and particularly in rural regions that are and students from other health disciplines. The creation of a new and distinctive significantly under-served, including those The programme will stand out for its medical school serving the three counties to be covered by the Three Counties Medical ambitious plan to embed interdisciplinary of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and School (TCMS). It has also underlined and problem-based learning in the Worcestershire is an exciting development a necessity to train doctors who are curriculum, and for the way it will marry both for the University of Worcester and resourceful problem-solvers who are used to empathetic patient-focussed values with the local community and health sector. collaborating as part of a multi-professional the latest knowledge and professionalism Coinciding with unprecedented challenges team and are therefore capable of responding of the modern-day health service. now facing the NHS that threaten the health to rapidly changing situations. This perfectly Responding to national and regional health and wellbeing of the nation, it presents describes the kind of individual we expect demands requires a recruitment and training an exceptional and timely opportunity to to graduate from our new medical school. strategy designed to attract highly motivated answer pressing as well as long-standing Training the doctors and healthcare leaders and conscientious people from diverse needs for a fresh and more innovative and of the future means providing a programme backgrounds who represent the communities targeted approach to medical education. that is in tune with the drive towards more served by the medical profession. care in the community and patient-centred practice. Our postgraduate course will feature a unique third year, which will include “Creating the Three Counties Medical School to serve the “”people of this region and beyond is a major investment. There is a serious shortage of doctors in many rural areas as well as in the Acute Hospitals. The latest official workforce forecasts predict that the shortage of health personnel is going to balloon to 170,000 by 2027, which is just when doctors educated at the Three Counties Medical School should start coming on stream.” Professor David Green CBE Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive University of Worcester Three Counties Medical School 5

The TCMS is part of a new wave of medical on existing staff expertise, relationships Trusts and hospitals in the region, as well schools in the UK that are aiming to with Trusts and hospitals, professional as schools and other local stakeholders, to widen access to careers in medicine. The regulatory bodies and university facilities. help realise these objectives. It amounts to a University of Worcester, widely regarded It will also allow for the development collaborative venture from which the regional as one of Britain’s most inclusive higher of an integrated course experience and community, healthcare system, medical education institutions, is in an excellent community of practice - reflecting the profession, students, higher education position to take a lead in this movement. Its current emphasis on integrated care - as sector and the NHS all stand to gain. commitment to widening opportunities and trainee doctors, nurses and other health equality has been recognised in a string of professionals learn in a shared environment. national awards over the past four years. But the benefits of opening the TCMS extend The development of a medical school based far beyond the evolution of university at the heart of a new health and wellbeing healthcare teaching. In developing the campus is a logical next big step for the school, the University aspires in the long University, and is a key objective in its term to provide a practical solution to the current strategic plan. It grows organically significant difficulties in recruiting and out of established strengths and a solid and retaining doctors in the region. Research has long track record in delivering a wide range shown that focussing on recruitment of local FIND OUT MORE of high quality programmes in subjects allied students is likely to be an effective strategy. Our Vision For to nursing and health. The TCMS will build The TCMS will work in close partnership with The Three Counties Medical School film A third of the University’s students are currently studying courses allied to health. “I think we have the opportunity here, with the University of Why This year, it celebrates 25 years of delivering “”Worcester as it is, with its large strengths in health professional nursing and midwifery education and education, to do something a little different with our Worcester is now considered to be one of the best medical school: very much more integrated with the The University of Worcester is a thriving training centres in the country for these NHS and the people who currently work in the NHS.” university for the 21st Century, with one of professions. In 2014, Worcester became the best records in the country of sustained Professor John Cookson the first university in the UK to introduce graduate employment and a reputation a postgraduate MSc Physician Associate Professor of Medical Education for quality, equality and compassion. and Development Dean of (PA) course: a two-year intensive clinical the Three Counties Medical School The University was awarded the largest programme to train clinical practitioners allocation of additional health-related in the medical model to work alongside student places in the UK in 2020, putting it doctors, meeting the needs of a rapidly in a strong position to add to its substantial changing healthcare environment. The first and proven experience over the past two cohort of PA students graduated in 2016 decades in training high-quality, effective with a 100 per cent employment rate. This and compassionate health professionals innovative programme provided local Trusts in nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, with a much needed resource, successfully occupational therapy and paramedicine. reducing pressure on services and improving patient flow, while creating opportunities for a more diverse body of students. Three Counties Medical School 7

Shortlisted six times, including in 2020, Among the top 10 universities in the as Nurse Education Provider of the Year country for sustained employment A reputation in the Student Nursing Times Awards. of graduates, according to data published by the government. for quality Winner of the Guardian University Award Ranked in the top 3 in the UK for for Internationalisation in 2019, and Ranked among the top 10 universities Quality Education and Number 1 in shortlisted for the Widening Access and in the country which best reflect the UK for Gender Equality in the Outreach Awards in 2019 and 2020. society in a 2018 report from the Times Higher Education’s University Higher Education Policy Institute. Ranked among the top 10 universities Impact Rankings 2019 and 2020. in the UK for Student Experience Winner of the Outstanding Contribution to Three times finalist for University of and 16th for Teaching Quality in The the Local Community award (2019), winner the Year in the Times Higher Education Times Good University Guide 2021 of the Outstanding Contribution to annual awards, including in 2020. (published in September 2020). Equality, Diversity and Inclusion award (2020), and shortlisted for Widening Finalist for University of the Year in the Named Sustainability Institution of the Participation or Outreach Initiative of the 2019 and 2020 UK Social Mobility Awards. Year in the Green Gown Awards 2019. Year (2020) in the Times Higher Education Awards.

TOP 3 FOR TOP 10 FOR TOP 10 FOR FINALIST FINALIST WINNER QUALITY STUDENT SUSTAINED UK Social EDUCATION 2020 EXPERIENCE EMPLOYMENT Mobility AwardssTM University of the Year 2020 2020 Sustainability Institution University of the Year of the Year All students studying on health-related planning in NHS . The Royal College It is widely recognised that to attract GPs to courses benefit from the support of of Physicians has estimated that nationally a rural region like the Three Counties, which well-qualified and highly experienced staff an additional 2,840 medical students per has pockets of sparse populations, they have as well as first class facilities, soon to be year are needed for the next five years to to have either been born there, lived there, significantly enhanced with the addition create 2,270 more consultant physicians by or undertaken their training in the area. Yet of a new Three Counties Centre for Health 2030. The Three Counties fulfils the NHS there is currently no medical school within and Wellbeing. The University also has an criteria for needing more locally provided the Three Counties region and contiguous extensive network of placement providers solutions to this challenge. In and areas such as South Shropshire and part of and contacts across local NHS Trusts, Worcester, in all medical specialities, 14 per Wales. There are also relatively few medical GPs, other healthcare organisations, cent of training posts were unfilled in 2016, students in relation to the populations third sector and private providers. while in Gloucestershire it is estimated that of these areas. The local Trusts currently 40 per cent of GP practices have unfilled providing placements for these students do The combination of a small but rapidly vacancies. In the Wye Valley NHS Trust not anticipate difficulties in accommodating growing university with many area, most recent figures show consultant students from the new medical school health-related activities, which is based in a vacancies running at 10 per cent Trust-wide, alongside these existing arrangements. large, rural region under-served in primary but at 50 per cent in some specialities such care, provides an opportunity for a new as acute medicine. In the Gloucestershire medical school to flourish in collaboration Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area, 11 with local and regional stakeholders. The practices are currently holding GP vacancies, focus of recruitment to under-doctored with 25 GPs predicted to retire soon. areas has been at the forefront of strategic Three Counties Medical School 9

“The Three Counties will offer a rich variety of experiences – rural and urban, primary and secondary care, specialist and generalist experience. It has many experienced educators, skilled in pastoral care with supported nurturing environments. The school will be embedded within the NHS with early exposure to clinical environments. There are many opportunities to work in a pleasant environment - whether within general practice or in hospital care.”

Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram Consultant Physician, Head of Postgraduate School of Medicine, Health Education England, working across the south west

Three Counties Medical School 11

The Infirmary operated from the site from 1771 until 2002 and in that time observed Medical many advances in healthcare and innovation. A local physician, Sir Charles Hastings, history at presided over the first meeting of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association Worcester in July 1832. The organisation, which later The University’s City Campus is based became the British Medical Association in the beautiful Georgian buildings of and continues to print the British Medical the former Worcester Infirmary. Journal, was founded at the Infirmary. Records and archives of the historic building and activities at this site are held in the University’s Hive Library and in the on-campus Infirmary Medical Museum and are available for research purposes. A genuine partnership between University and Trusts The TCMS will serve the three counties where hospitals and health sector that will play a most of the University’s student population critically important role in its establishment live: Worcestershire, Herefordshire and and success. It also aims to make a significant Gloucestershire, as well as the surrounding contribution to the quality improvement areas. It will be a genuine partnership programme of the regional health service. between the University, NHS Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in the region, with which it already has well- established relationships. The creation of a medical school will enhance the reputation both of the University and the regional Three Counties Medical School 13

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust Trust The Trust delivers a wide range of services in a variety of settings, including in people’s and CCG homes, care homes, schools, community centres and in-patient facilities such as seven partners community hospitals and recovery wards. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Established in 2011, the Trust is the main The Trust runs the the Alexandra Hospital provider of community nursing, therapy and (Redditch), Hospital and mental health services across the county. In Treatment Centre, and Worcestershire April 2020, it also took over the delivery of Royal Hospital. In 2015, in partnership mental health and learning disability services with University Hospitals Coventry and in Herefordshire. The Trust employs around Warwickshire NHS Trust, it developed a 5,000 staff across the two counties. In 2017 £25 million state-of-the-art Oncology it was named as a Global Digital Exemplar for Centre, based at Worcestershire Royal Mental Health in the Next Steps on the NHS Hospital, to provide local radiotherapy report, produced by NHS England as part of services to 1,500 patients a year who the implementation of the Five Year Forward previously had to travel to be treated. The View. It has been given up to £5 million Trust performs about 95,000 planned of national funding to develop new digital and emergency operations each year, systems to support mental health patients. with 140,000 A&E attendances and about 500,000 outpatient appointments. Gloucestershire Hospitals Gloucestershire Health and Care inpatient units. Specialist services include NHS Foundation Trust NHS Foundation Trust Chat Health, which enables young people Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS to obtain confidential health and wellbeing Trust is the largest employer in the county, Foundation Trust was formed in October advice from the school nursing team via with over 8,000 staff, and is one of the 2019 from the merger of 2gether NHS text message, Let’s Talk, an Improving largest NHS Trusts in the UK. It provides a Foundation Trust and Gloucestershire Care Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) wide range of specialist acute services - Services NHS Trust to provide joined up service and Hope House, a Sexual Assault including a regional cancer centre - from its physical health, mental health and learning Referral Centre in Gloucestershire. two large general hospitals, Gloucestershire disability services. It is in the early stages Wye Valley NHS Trust Royal Hospital and General of establishing a new community hospital Established in 2011, Wye Valley NHS Trust Hospital, as well as maternity services at in the Forest of Dean. The Trust employs is the provider of healthcare services at Stroud Maternity Hospital. Its specialist more than 5,800 members of staff and Hereford County Hospital, based in the clinicians also see patients in the works in partnership with a wide range of city of Hereford, along with a number of county’s community hospitals including commissioners, collaborators and colleagues community services for Herefordshire and its Stroud, Berkeley Vale, Forest of Dean, across the health and social care community. borders. It also provides healthcare services Tewkesbury, the North Cotswolds and It provides assessment, support, treatment at community hospitals in the market towns Cirencester. The Trust has developed and advice on a range of mental health, of Ross-on-Wye, and Bromyard. ground-breaking services such as its physical health and learning disability The 3,000-strong workforce provides a Mobile Chemotherapy Services, and also conditions. These services are provided range of specialist and generalist functions. provides a national lead in Diabetic Retinal both in the community – in people’s homes Screening and AAA Screening Services. and other settings – and in hospitals and Three Counties Medical School 15

With a turnover of over £230 million in NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG NHS Gloucestershire CCG 2019/20, serving a population of 180,000, NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire All 74 GP practices in Gloucestershire are the Trust is one of the smallest rural District Clinical Commissioning Group was members of the NHS Gloucestershire CCG, General Hospitals in England. The Trust is a established in April 2020 following a which commissions NHS services to meet member of a ‘Foundation Group’, created in merger of NHS Herefordshire CCG, NHS the needs of local people. Services include 2017 in partnership with South Warwickshire Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG, NHS emergency care, operations or treatments NHS and George Eliot Hospitals NHS Trust South Worcestershire CCG and NHS Wyre that can be planned in advance, community (GEH). The three organisations face similar Forest CCG. It has 83 GP practices and is services and mental health services. As well challenges and the group provides a wider responsible for buying health services for as commissioning services, CCG clinicians platform to share strategic thinking, best 800,888 people across Herefordshire and and managers at county and local level practice and improve whole system patient Worcestershire. With a £1.19 billion budget, focus on planning, prevention and self care, pathways. A ward replacement project is the group plans and commissions hospital, joining up services, community support underway at the Hereford County Hospital community and mental health services. It and the provision of information across site, which will provide a new 72-bed ward also monitors the quality of the services health and social care. The CCG is also block to replace the last of the two 1940s provided and works with local partners developing alternatives to hospital care, hutted wards, and is planned to open in 2021. with the aim of providing preventative and including more care, treatment and support anticipatory care and seamless pathways at home and in the local community. across organisational boundaries. Our research Professor Dawn Brooker MBE is the Director of the Association for Dementia Studies, and areas of which she established in 2009. She is expertise internationally recognised for scholarship The University of Worcester has significant in practice development of person centred research strengths, and in the last Research dementia care and has long established Excellence Framework exercise (which took working relationships with practitioners and place in 2014) it was judged to be the most scholars worldwide. A clinical psychologist, improved university in the country for ‘research Professor Brooker MBE worked in the NHS power’ – a measure of the volume of research in a variety of clinical and managerial posts multiplied by quality. Its strengths lie especially for 17 years before moving into academia in in health-related areas, particularly in relation 1999. She was involved in Dementia Care to mental health. Research at the University will Mapping at the University of Bradford where underpin the aims of the new medical school she was awarded a personal chair in 2005. to create a community of staff and student scholars who think carefully about what they do, read widely, and base decisions on evidence whenever possible. Some graduates will become researchers, but all will be scholars. 17

Dr Steven Coles leads several Biomedical Dr Beverley Adams-Groom is a leading Dr Janina Iwaszko is Principal Lecturer research projects at the University of expert in pollen forecasting and provides in Medical Education. She is the medical Worcester. His research interests include the UK and Ireland with forecasts for all the director of the Physician Associate MSc cancer immunology, exercise immunology, main airborne allergens, aided by colleagues and the RCP UK Clinical Lead for the diagnostics and the role of oxidative stress in the pollen forecast team, and working Physician Associate National Exam. Her in disease pathogenesis. Currently he is in association with the UK Met Office. primary research interests are in the early involved with two clinically relevant projects, Dr Adams-Groom is also involved in the acquisition of clinical reasoning and the use including research into the use of a new field of Palynology, which is the study of of simulation as an effective clinical teaching monoclonal antibody to target an immune microscopic biological particles (mainly modality. She has presented regularly at checkpoint molecule as a potential treatment pollen and spore identification). Dr Adams- international conferences on this topic and for acute myeloid leukaemia which may now Groom has recently produced a body of has also been Lead Investigator in an HEE enter clinical trials; and another involving work on pollen levels in surface soil and is funded Interprofessional Simulation Learning collaboration between Worcester Biomedical currently working on the characterisation Project. Dr Iwaszko was previously the Senior Research Group and the Worcestershire of UK honeys and the production of Clinical Teaching Fellow for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which is running regional pollen calendars for the UK. Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, where she took a clinical trial to establish new predictive a lead in the development of simulation and biomarkers for acute coronary syndrome. interprofessional teaching within the Trust. Professor Kay Mohanna is a partner in Professor Lisa Jones is Professor of the Wellcome Trust and the Stanley general practice in the UK and a trainer, with Psychological Medicine and leads the Mood Medical Research Institute, BDRN is expertise in supporting trainees in difficulty. Disorders Research Group, which aims to recruiting one of the largest research She is Professor of Values Based Healthcare investigate genetic and other factors that samples of individuals with bipolar Education at the University of Worcester may contribute to the aetiology and course disorder in the world (currently, and is a collaborating partner at the Centre of bipolar disorder and related mood and over 7,000 and counting). for Values-Based Practice in Health and psychotic illnesses, such as schizoaffective Social Care at St Catherine’s College, disorder and postpartum psychosis. University of Oxford. Her research interests Professor Jones has been researching the include leadership, teacher development causes of major mental illnesses for over and appraisal. Her doctoral work used 25 years, and founded and leads the UK conversation analysis to look at differential Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN) attainment in postgraduate exams. Professor in collaboration with colleagues at Cardiff Mohanna is a PLAB (Professional and University. With funding from two of the Linguistic Assessments Board) examiner world’s leading medical research charities, for the General Medical Council. Three Counties Medical School 19

The University of Worcester has, since its and success. The opportunity to study inception, strongly promoted educational and at The Hive, Europe’s first integrated Leading social inclusion, and this is firmly embedded university and public library, is a day-to-day in the institution’s culture, provision and encouragement to active citizenship and the way on infrastructure. The University has pioneered learning. Sustained investment throughout a whole-institution approach to widening the campus, typified by the University widening participation in higher education, a move of Worcester Arena, the country’s first that has been recognised in numerous indoor sports arena purpose-designed access, national awards and reports. For example, it to include wheelchair athletes, promotes was ranked in the top 10 UK universities for participation for those with physical inclusion best reflecting society in terms of impairment and encourages wellbeing. socio-economic class, according to analysis These values of widening access, inclusion by the Higher Education Policy Institute, and equality and equality will be reflected in the ethos an independent higher education think of the new medical school and its approach tank. In the first ever national gender pay to student recruitment. The TCMS will reporting in 2018, the University was found aim to remove barriers to a medical career to have the smallest average pay gap of any to help create a health workforce in the university, a result that was repeated in 2019. region which is diverse, highly capable and The University has deliberately chosen representative of the community it serves. to develop its estate inclusively, creating buildings that are conducive to co-operation will be in the large number of community community hospital, where students under hospitals in the region. Practitioners based in supervision could take on responsibilities Our Course the community will also play an integral role working in conjunction with students and One of the great advantages of launching in the development, delivery and assessment staff in nursing and other professional areas. a new medical school is that it makes it of the university-based programme. possible to design a course that offers Interdisciplinary learning will also take place an innovative method of education and This approach will enhance opportunities to as part of the school’s problem-based style training: one that fits the current needs embed interdisciplinary and of teaching, in which students search for and aspirations of the health service and interprofessional learning into the curriculum, solutions to complex situations that might students. The four-year graduate-entry which will be another distinctive feature of arise in a ward by collaborating in problem- MBChB (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor the course. Students will spend an extended solving groups. They will be involved in of Surgery) programme will form part of the period in an environment where they will discussing hypothetical case scenarios evolution of medical education, responding be working alongside, and learning from, and encouraged to discuss the roles and to the needs of an ageing population, professionals and students in a wide range responsibilities of each profession; working emerging diseases and advancements in of other health-related disciplines. This will together to ensure that the ‘patient’ in the knowledge. Its most unique feature will be encourage the development of a community centre of discussions receives the best and a third year consisting entirely of long-term of practice, and will help nurture the softer most appropriate care. They will be expected placements in primary and secondary care but vital skills of patient communication to come to such workshops armed with environments in the community. A high and empathy. Another exciting prospect knowledge gleaned from a range of available proportion of clinical placement experience is the development of a training ward in a resources, including online lectures. 21

Worcester has a long-standing reputation for health education and interdisciplinary learning across the health profession. “The development of the Three Counties “”Medical School at the University of Worcester will be wonderful news for the whole community and for everyone who is passionate for health and medical education.” Mr Steven Thrush MBBS, FRCS, consultant surgeon at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, one of the country’s top breast surgeons and named in the top five NHS Doctors in the country in the ‘NHS at 70’ awards Three Counties Medical School 23

The philosophy of the course will be to The programme will include 15 weeks spent The GEM programme is strongly orientated recognise the centrality of the patient in in acute hospitals in years one and two, to producing caring, excellent and inclusive medical education, and the importance of where teaching and learning will otherwise doctors with a significant focus on primary, public and patient involvement in learning, largely be campus-based, with consultation community care and mental health, which and in providing additional perspective on skills training taking place each week. the TCMS expects to build upon. Swansea course design and student admissions. To Students will benefit from the support of University Medical School has an excellent this end, the course will be organised around an online virtual learning environment. reputation in medical education. It is common patient presentations. The role of ranked as the 3rd best medical school in Year four will consist of placements in acute generalists will be fundamental to address the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good medicine and surgery – a ‘shadowing’ period the key issues of changing demographics, University Guide 2021, published September to prepare for the Foundation Programme frailty, multiple co-morbid conditions, 2020), and has excellent GMC reports. as a junior doctor, and an elective. living with long-term conditions including Swansea University Medical School shares cancers and the increasing prevalence of Our partner – Swansea University our ethos and approach to pastoral care dementia. Mental health issues pervade In line with General Medical Council and support for students. Its curriculum is all of medical practice and therefore will (GMC) requirements, the University interesting and innovative, with early patient be addressed throughout the curriculum. has identified a contingent partner with contact and clinical training from Year 1, Formal psychiatry learning will take place Swansea University: the Graduate Entry based on a series of case studies within a largely in the community, in outpatient and Medicine (GEM) Programme within the spiral curriculum over the four-year graduate crisis teams and in emergency departments, Medical School, Faculty of Life and Health entry course. It has much expertise in the with some exposure to in-patient care. Sciences, at Swansea University. education of doctors who practice in rural settings, including a longitudinal placement in general practice in the third year of its programme in west and mid-Wales. “Regardless of your background, we have got routes into medicine that aim A further priority will be to encourage and to remove some of the barriers that are support applications from local students, “” preventing the medical workforce from Admissions as part of the medical school’s mission to Building on the University of Worcester’s reflecting the diversity of the population.” address difficulties in recruiting and retaining exceptional and proven record on widening doctors in the region. A number of specific Professor Kay Mohanna access to higher education, the TCMS will initiatives will bring these two aims together, GP and Professor of Values Based Healthcare aim to direct recruitment primarily at to produce a step change in applications from Education at the University of Worcester those groups that are under-represented local students with widening participation in medical courses and in the profession. backgrounds. Although the TCMS will be This includes, in particular, students offering a graduate entry course, existing from lower socio-economic backgrounds, outreach networks in schools and colleges who still account for only around 10 will be used to highlight opportunities per cent of all admissions nationally. for students to progress into the medical programme via a range of feeder routes, with a guaranteed interview for those achieving academic entry requirements. Three Counties Medical School 25

In addition there will be a range of tailored who may be more likely to progress into activities including targeted mentoring general practice or psychiatry. The TCMS “The good thing about the Three Counties with qualified graduate entry doctors will be one of only a few medical schools “”is that it will look for slightly different (initially from partner organisations); adopting this strategy, which it has based characteristics than a typical medical school. the use of digital media to help explain on evidence from Swansea University We are looking for really well-rounded the routes to medicine; academic study Medical School showing that students from people, not just people who are purely workshops embedded in programmes; career a non-science background perform equally academic. You could have a background in all sorts of different subjects, it doesn’t events focused on medicine; and taster as well as their bioscience peers after have to be science based. As long as you placements and workshops in NHS Trusts. the first year of a medical programme. are prepared to put the work in and are An important third strand in the TCMS passionate about it, give it a go and apply!” admissions strategy will be to offer places to Ms Fiona Court graduates from a wide range of disciplines, Award-winning consultant breast surgeon including for example behavioural and at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS social sciences, humanities and psychology, Foundation Trust, and a member of the TCMS Curriculum Development Group

FIND OUT MORE ‘My journey into medicine’ Fiona Court, award-winning surgeon Our Facilities A new £16 million Three Counties Centre for Health and Wellbeing, which will house the TCMS, will become the latest addition to what has been described as a “string of pearls” of significant buildings, including some award-winning examples, that are part of the University of Worcester’s three-campus city centre estate. Three Counties Medical School 27

Designed to maximise opportunities for area for students from different health The Medical School’s students will also interprofessional learning, the new Centre disciplines to meet and collaborate in an have access to the University’s other will be a physical embodiment of the aims informal environment. The new building first class facilities, such as The Hive, of the TCMS and its programme. Centrally will also provide a significant expansion Europe’s first fully integrated university situated on the Severn’s St John’s riverbank of continuing professional development and public library based in a multi- in Worcester, it will be a major new resource opportunities for those who are currently award winning iconic building providing for skills across the health professions. Its working in the regional health service. access to a quarter of a million books and facilities will include a specialised anatomy over 12 miles of archive collections. The Centre for Health and Wellbeing will skills room using high fidelity models for significantly enhance the University’s Pioneering Philanthropic Giving visualisation of anatomy, pathology and existing health and science facilities, which physiology; a simulated GP’s surgery with Known for its imaginative innovation as include extensive clinical simulation suites a suite of consultation rooms; technology well as its generosity, the Clive and Sylvia and a simulated hospital environment; for viewing and feedback space; and easily Richards Charity has made a major donation dedicated biomedical research laboratories dividable units for Objective Structured of a quarter of a million pounds towards containing specialist equipment such Clinical Examinations. The use of state-of- the creation of the new anatomy suite as an LC/MS for lipid analysis; a Flow the-art simulation and visualisation facilities at the Three Counties Medical School. Cytometer for immunophenotyping and means there will be no need for laboratories qPCR machines for gene expression analysis; for cadaveric dissection and standard and advanced laboratories for pollen and wet laboratories to support basic science aerobiology research, with a negative courses. Instead, space will be available to pressure room for secure handling of harmful provide students access to computers and microorganisms and an environmental to allow them to engage in small study FIND OUT MORE chamber for testing equipment and people groups. A large open-plan learning space ‘An investment in the future' in different environmental settings. with café facilities will act as a communal An interview with Clive Richards CBE KSG DL Find out more To read more about the Three Counties Medical School and to stay up to date with the latest developments, please visit our website at www.worcester.ac.uk/tcms