The Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) is a key base for Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) for undergraduate teaching and postgraduate training and research. Many NHS staff teach on BSMS's programmes and many lecturers are consultants at the hospital.
The hospital is part of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUHT), which is a partner in BSMS, along with other local NHS trusts.
The plans, approved yesterday by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne MP, will see the site’s 19th-century buildings demolished and replaced with new modern facilities. This will include new spaces and equipment for teaching and research such as a Simulation Suite to help train students and staff how to carry out invasive procedures safely and effectively.
Professor Gordon Ferns, Acting Dean of BSMS, said: "I am really delighted to hear that Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust has received HM Treasury approval for the Royal Sussex County Hospital’s 3Ts project. The Trust was a key partner in establishing BSMS, now in its 10th anniversary year.
"One of the 3Ts is Teaching, and the new development will bring high-quality facilities for training medical students, doctors and other health professionals. Medical and healthcare research facilities are also embedded in the 3Ts project. This will allow us to attract the very best clinical academics to the Trust; they will help us to significantly enhance the quality of patient care in Brighton and Sussex and to bring research investment to the region. We look forward to working very closely with BSUHT as they deliver this landmark development."