University of Surrey and Regional NHS Collaboration
Monday 6 October 2008
The University of Surrey met with representatives from all of the regional NHS hospital trusts, the Strategic Health Authority and Primary Care Trust on Tuesday, September 30 2008. The purpose of this meeting was to consider options around establishing greater synergy and collaborations between the University and these key regional health organisations to:
- Explore opportunities for joint research activities;
- Investigate the potential for expanding education programmes, including continuing professional development (CPD); and
- Explore the potential opportunities for joint appointments.
In addition, discussions have begun on the potential to establish a Health Innovation and Education Cluster in the region. Such a cluster would include the University of Surrey, acute primary care and mental health trusts, the Postgraduate Medical and Dental Deanery (Kent, Surrey and Sussex ), the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority and industrial partners. Following this very positive discussion, it was agreed that collaborative working between the University and these bodies would be strengthened to support and deliver improved healthcare in the region.
The University remains committed to its health and medical strategy, in which it seeks to:
- Provide excellent and continuous education to all of the NHS workforce through combining workplace learning and academic training, in partnership with the NHS;
- Provide opportunities for expanding translational research from molecule to community / bedside research continuum;
- Develop a critical mass of medically qualified staff to maximise success of applied biomedical and other health-related research activity; and
- Develop and expand postgraduate and CPD portfolio of health care programmes for existing and new types of health and medical multi-professional practitioners.
In commenting on the meeting, Professor Christopher Snowden, Vice-Chancellor said:
"Surrey already offers high quality teaching and research in many health and medical fields and we are keen to build on these through collaboration with our NHS partners to the mutual benefit of ourselves, our partners and the wider region."
