Practice gets go-ahead for £30m ‘first of its kind’ joint venture in Bolton
Associated Architects has won planning permission for a £30m medical sciences college in Bolton, which is a joint venture between the town’s university, the local authority and the NHS.
The practice said Bolton College of Medical Sciences would be a “first of its kind” facility for the UK that would transform how NHS workforces are trained, alleviate staffing pressures and result in improved patient care.
It said the building, which will be five storeys at its highest, would create 150 full-time-equivalent jobs, and offer state-of-the-art training that used the latest medical technology, such as simulation suites and surgical and acute care environments.
Bolton council, which is a partner in the joint venture along with the University of Bolton and Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said the facility was expected to become a blueprint for other NHS foundation trusts.
“It will focus on learning within a healthcare culture, with practical training within simulated hospital environments,” the authority said.
“It will be able to teach 3,000 students a year, with around 1,000 apprentices in a range of health and social care roles.”
The authority said the facility, which will be built in the grounds of the Bolton NHS Trust hospital in Farnworth, would host its first students in 2022.
Also included in the approval is a 400-space multi-storey car park.
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