Prof. Victor Gault tells City Deal meeting maximisation of School of Medicine will lead to 200 students

An officer said council was working to achieve financial deal for all City Deal projects this summer.

“The proposed new School of Medicine/Personalised Medicine Centre has a combined value in excess of £50 million,” they said. “And this project will be primarily located on the existing vacant site adjacent to the Council offices on the Strand Road.”

“In addition, there will be educational facilities on the Altnagelvin Hospital campus.

“Developing OBCs has been a lengthy process and one that has been considerably challenged by construction inflation, which has required detailed reappraisals of all projects. This project is no different.”

Ulster University Associate Dean for Research and Development , Professor Victor Gault, said another OBC in 2021 identified the need for 'new, purpose-built accommodation'.

“The School of Medicine at Ulster is now strongly rooted here in the NW,” he added. “So the need for it is not in question”.

“Our vision is very clear; we want to be a nationally and internationally excellent medical school that’s able to recruit and retain high-quality staff and students.

“We will work in partnership with our community in the NW through high-quality, ambitious research, innovation and education.”

Professor Gault said the key elements include teaching and research accommodation at Ulster University and teaching accommodation at Altnagelvin.

It includes provisions for the Clinical Translational and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC) at Altnagelvin, including enhanced facilities for research, development and innovation.

Professor Gault detailed plans for a 10,300 square metre School of Medicine, which would allow for a 'complete maximisation of the proposed site' and increase the number of students from 80 to 200.

“This is the preferred option from a future NI health service need perspective and in terms of meeting the identified need,” Professor Gault said. “It also maximises the contribution the new build could make to additional student numbers in Derry.”

A Western Trust spokesperson said City Deal projects at Altnagelvin included an £11m investment in C-TRIC and a £5m investment in teaching accommodation.

C-TRIC’s CEO, Aaron Peace, said: “We want an expanded facility that will allow for more clinical trials thereby presenting more research opportunities for patients and greater access to novel treatments.

“This, in turn, will improve the quality of healthcare for our community, generate income to ensure long term sustainability, and attract new staff.

“NI used to be world-leading in different areas [of medicine], so we need to get back to that level of excellence," he said.

Sinn Féin Councillor Christopher Jackson said: “There is a huge challenge in attracting professionals to this part of the world and deliver services. The School of Medicine is one way to address and overcome that challenge, and it’s an absolute no-brainer.

“We need to be ambitious and looking at achieving the highest possible level we can.”

SDLP Councillor Brian Tierney said: “We need to see something our city can do to change our own fortunes. And we aren’t offering young people enough opportunity to stay and study.

“We fully endorse this because it’s ambitious and, throughout the whole City Deal process, this city and district has been ambitious. I don’t think that should stop now.”

£65m City Deal Central Riverfront/Strand Road and Walled City/Ebrington project slide show in full