New Medical Schools Announced

Five new medical schools are to be opened in England as part of a government drive to expand the number of training places.

The schools will be opened in Sunderland, Lancashire, Lincoln, Canterbury and Chelmsford over the next three years. The government is also increasing the number of places available at existing schools, as it seeks to increase numbers by 25%.

By 2020 it could result in 1,500 more students each year.

Commenting on the project, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, said: "It will help us deal with the challenges of having around one million more over 75s in ten years' time."

In particular, the new schools are being created in regions of the country where it has been hard to recruit and attract new doctors.

The planned expansion was announced two years ago, but it is only now the details are being put together on how the increase will be phase in.

Around 630 of the 1,500 new places will start this September, with the remainder following in 2019 and 2020.

Of the new schools announced, only the Anglia Ruskin University site in Chelmsford will start taking students this year.

Although the move has been welcomed by the British Medical Association, it has been pointed out it will take another 5-6 years before it will result in additional doctors working in the NHS.