STUDENTS have started at the new West Cumberland Medical Education Centre as part of an innovative plan to recruit staff.

The three trainee physician associates from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) will rotate their placements between emergency care, medical wards, stroke and elderly care.

Whilst not a doctor, the new role of physician associate delivers care and treatment within a hospital setting or in GP practices. They will work closely with consultants from the West Cumberland Hospital and nurse practitioners.

The West Cumberland Medical Education Centre (WCMEC) is located between West Lakes Science Park and West Cumberland Hospital. It is a collaboration between North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, UCLan, NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group and the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Its aim is to develop an international centre of excellence for integrated health and care provision in rural, remote and dispersed communities as well as developing more innovative roles within the workforce including physician associates.

A cardio-respiratory summer school is also set to be held next month.

Peter Driscoll, academic lead for the physician associate programme at UCLan, said: “This initiative represents an important step in the development of resilient communities and becoming a national lead in this type of medical practice.”

Geoff Jolliffe, interim clinical chair for NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The development of this type of training in West Cumbria is vitally important for the county’s health services and we’re delighted that this partnership with UCLan is well underway.”

Dr Derek Thomson, medical director at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “The arrival of the trainees marks the start of something very exciting for both the Trust and West Cumbria. Our difficulties with medical recruitment have been longstanding and we have had to start thinking ‘out of the box’ when planning our future workforce models.

"Our partnership with UCLan will bring in new expertise for the benefit of patient care, as well as helping to ‘grow our own’ medical talent.”