Stockton Council and Teesside University Unveil Medical School Initiative

Plans for a new medical school have been announced by a council and a university, both pledging to collaborate. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Teesside University formally agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding their proposals to establish the facility at Teesdale Business Park. The council will provide support to the university as it seeks approval from the government and the General Medical Council, aiming to confirm the necessity of the school in the area. A key objective articulated in the MoU is to “remove barriers which may prevent people from accessing training” and to alleviate “health inequalities” within the Tees Valley. A commitment to begin the work of identifying the location for the proposed medical school and its supporting infrastructure in Teesdale Business Park was finalized on Thursday evening. The council stated that this agreement is part of a larger project called the Tees Valley Care and Health Innovation Zone. Further aims include the redevelopment of the St Mark’s Basin area, with the intention of creating a new care and health educational hub. This announcement comes as construction on a new multimillion-pound urban park in Stockton began in April. Council leader Bob Cook described the MoU as a “huge step” toward developing a site for “pioneering, modern health provision” in the locality. He added, “Teesside University has an outstanding reputation for healthcare education provision and I am delighted to be working in collaboration to provide significant opportunities for teaching, research and collaboration on this site.” Teesside University’s vice-chancellor Prof Paul Croney remarked: “By working together we maximise our collective impact on reducing health inequalities, driving cutting edge service delivery, developing skills infrastructure and provision that meet the needs of our region.”