New medical school in north Wales ‘could be ready by 2025’

A new medical school in north Wales could be ready by 2025, it has been announced.

Costs for the proposed establishment will be known by the summer.

Jo Whitehead, CEO of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, revealed the news in her report to the board’s monthly meeting on Thursday.

She said: “BCUHB and Bangor University are working in partnership and have established programme arrangements in order to achieve the shared ambition of developing a transformational Medical and Health Sciences School in North Wales by 2025.

“Work to develop capital investment plans is progressing with an ambition initial estimates expected to be completed in June 2021 and final estimates to be available in July 2021.”

Siân Gwenllian, the Member of the Senedd for Arfon said: “The announcement is fantastic news for Bangor and north west Wales, and I’d like to thank all those involved in the campaign for a medical school for Bangor.

🎥 Mae'r cyhoeddiad y gallai Ysgol Feddygol i Fangor fod yn barod erbyn 2025 yn newyddion gwych i #Arfon a gogledd orllewin Cymru.

🎥 The announcement that a Medical School in #Bangor could be ready by 2025 is fantastic news for #Arfon and north west Wales.@BangorWalesNews pic.twitter.com/O71Fog9Vs8

— Siân Gwenllian AS/MS (@siangwenfelin) May 21, 2021

“I and Plaid Cymru have been campaigning on this issue for years, and it was an integral part of my re-election campaign in the Senedd elections.

“In 2017 Plaid Cymru secured a commitment from the previous Government to a budget to get the job started and now nearly 40 prospective doctors have been receiving part of their training at Bangor.

“Establishing a medical school and training doctors locally will be an important part of the effort to improve healthcare in Arfon.

“The evidence shows that doctors tend to practice where they are trained, therefore the medical school will address doctor shortages.

“The foundations have been laid and I look forward to seeing a full medical school in Bangor and to the city becoming a centre of medical excellence with Ysbyty Gwynedd playing a key role in that.”