UK's First Medical Academy Comes To Hull

The UK's first medical academy is being launched in Hull - to tackle a shortage of doctors and nurses in our area.

The new facility - which will be based at St Mary's College and open this September - will see 16-19 year olds training alongside professionals in the NHS.

Local hospital trusts have recently been forced to recruit staff from overseas due to a lack of GPs in our region.

And headteacher at the college - Jed Fitzpatrick - thinks this new training academy will help address that issue. He told Viking FM:

"It's extremely relevant given what we know about the staffing shortages and the crisis about recruitment into the NHS and we also think it's a great opportunity for our young people. Many of our youngsters succeed really well academically but what this programme offers is experience which our partners in the NHS can provide and show what a career in medical care looks like."

He believes it will help encourage more young people to train and work as doctors here:

"It's important that we aspire to keep our young people in Hull. Very often we assume that our most talented youngsters need to go elsewhere to pursue a career in whatever field. We just need to work with the talent base that we absolutely do have in Hull and that's our young people.

"This academy will provide students with the opportunities to pursue various careers in the NHS. The biggest employer in Hull is the NHS with over 20,000 employees and I think it's important that our talented youngsters have the opportunity, should they wish, to have that opportunity to pursue high-class careers and stay in Hull. That can only be good for the city."

Later - the Health Secretary will address the problem of GP shortages. Jeremy Hunt's to announce a 'new deal' for doctors - as he looks to modernise services and reduce waiting times.