The University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University have won approval to establish the country's first ever medical school.

The Government and Health Education England announced that the bid for funded places has been successful.

To be dubbed the Kent and Medway Medical School, it represents one of five new schools announced by the Government and forms part of a plan to train hundreds of more doctors each year.

The school will open in Canterbury and will bring together the existing centres of excellence in health and medical education provided by the two universities, as well as local healthcare organisations, to provide education that focuses on patients.

A joint statement released by both universities said: "Our ambition is to develop a school that will become a beacon for first class medical education and research, and the first choice for all those aspiring to achieve excellence in person-centred medical care in the UK."

"We remain confident that, by providing distinctive, socially diverse and insightful graduates, the Kent and Medway Medical School will enable, influence and drive changes within the clinical workforce to deliver high quality healthcare across the region."

The recruitment and retention of health care professionals is seen as a key issue that needs resolving, which is backed by the Government's commitment to fund an additional 1,500 medical places by 2020.