UU must relocate Health Sciences alongside new Medical School

Derry City & Strabane District Council is to request that Ulster University updates its consultation document on the relocation of Health Sciences from Jordanstown to reflect the confirmation of funding for Magee’s medical school. The SDLP’s Rory Farrell made the proposal at last week’s Council meeting and here he argues that the medical school funding is a ‘game changer’ that strengthens Derry’s argument for the courses:
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Jul 2020, 18:30 BST
Rory Farrell.Rory Farrell.
Rory Farrell.

It’s excellent news that funding for the medical school has been approved and that Ulster University has begun to advertise the course. It’s been a long hard battle, but we’re nearly there.

Hurdles await in terms of General Medical Council accreditation, but the bulk of the work has been done and we’re hopeful of student intake in September 2021. It has been a team effort involving the Executive, Ulster University, the Irish and British governments and stakeholders across the healthcare sector.

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The medical school once open will address the shortage of doctors across the North and bring more students to Magee - which is a win-win for Derry.

Talking of students, it’s no secret that we need more at Magee. Progress since the 10,000 target was announced in 2011 has been glacial. Since then Magee has had a net increase of 20 students per year. At the current rate of expansion it will take 300 years to reach 10,000 students.

Relocating Health Sciences from Jordanstown to Magee could bring 800 extra students. That’s 40 years of current growth overnight.

Ulster University is moving Health Sciences from Jordanstown - that is happening. The question is where will all the radiotherapy, occupational therapy, radiography, oncology and physiotherapy students go? Will it be Magee, will it be Coleraine or will it be Belfast?

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The SDLP obviously wants those 800 students and the associated academic, technical and admin staff to come to Derry. And so does our Council - we collectively demanded it back in February.

Coincidentally, in February Ulster University announced that its preferred option in terms of relocation of the courses was that all undergraduates go to Magee and all postgraduates would go to Belfast. That option works for us. But Ulster University also made the unhelpful announcement that it would conduct a public consultation on the available options. The end result could be that Belfast gets everything and we get nothing - a Groundhog Day that we’re all sadly familiar with. The consultation is happening whether we like it or not, but it is currently paused due to Covid. The original consultation document mentioned ‘tacit approval’ for the medical school. Tacit means implied, it means suggested, it means hinted. But the recent confirmation of funding is a game changer and those words no longer apply.

Ulster University should update its documents to reflect this. It should make it very clear, with no ambiguities, that Magee is the best location for Health Sciences and the 800 students that it attracts.

Derry expects Ulster University to deliver Magee expansion. Relocating these courses will demonstrate a level of commitment to the North West and relocating these courses will provide a signal of intent.

We having been waiting years, but we cannot wait 300 years. Health Sciences must come to Magee.

Related topics:Strabane District CouncilDerry CityCouncil