HEE welcomes major expansion of medical school places

An extra 1,500 doctors a year will be trained in the NHS by 2020 in the biggest ever expansion of the medical workforce in England, Health Minister Philip Dunne confirmed yesterday. This is a 25 per cent increase in current numbers of domestic medical students.

From next year, existing medical schools will be able to offer an extra 500 places to future doctors, whilst the remaining 1,000 places will be allocated across the country based on an open bidding process. The extra places will be targeted at under-represented social groups such as lower income students, as well as regions that usually struggle to attract trainee medics.

Professor Wendy Reid, Executive Director of Education and Quality & National Medical Director, Health Education England said:

Health Education England welcomes the additional funding that has been made available for an extra 1,500 medical undergraduate places.

We look forward to leading with HEFCE on the allocation of these places. The extra places will help the NHS meet the diverse healthcare needs of patients up and down the country.