Plans announced for new medical school in Carlisle

The University of Cumbria and Imperial College London are working together to launch a new graduate entry medical school in Carlisle.

Aiming to enrol its first students in autumn 2025, the new school will train new doctors for Cumbria and North West England to transform healthcare in local communities.

The partnership is the result of a shared vision to educate more medical professionals to serve their local communities, in regions with the greatest need. The school will be situated in an area of England where the recruitment and retention of medical staff remains a significant challenge.

The new school aims to drive innovation in medical education, transforming the way medicine is taught and delivered. The development of a course specifically designed to meet the needs of the region will support medical education with a true community focus. Students will receive the best possible preparation for medical practice in the future NHS through inter-professional, community-based learning that harnesses local resources and the use of digital technologies.

The school’s medical students will gain clinical experience through partnerships with local NHS providers across the region. A sustainable supply of medical professionals will benefit the local health and social care economy following the school’s establishment. It will educate and train generalist doctors who are grounded in the scientific method to deliver healthcare in community-based, rural, and disadvantaged settings where health and social inequalities are well documented.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This partnership between Imperial College London and University of Cumbria will help level up opportunity and train more doctors in the North West. The new medical school supports our ambition to grow the workforce and already there are 1,500 more medical school places – a 25 per cent increase – and five new medical schools across the country since 2017. Our doctors have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to care for us and our loved ones, and it is this dedication that is inspiring the next generation.”

Professor Julie Mennell, Vice Chancellor at the University of Cumbria, said: “In addition to attracting and retaining new doctors for Cumbria and North West England, the joint medical school will allow us to develop collaborative research programmes in areas such as health and social inequalities.

“The University of Cumbria was established to play a significant role in increasing higher education participation and addressing the higher-level education and skills needs of Cumbria and the region. This continues to drive us, and we look forward to working with colleagues at Imperial College London to realise a new medical school in North Cumbria.”