350 extra NHS medical school places

The government has funded 350 extra medical school places in England for the academic year 2025 to 2026 as part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

From: Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, The Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP, and The Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP
Published: 13 May 2024

The latest step in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan involves funding 350 additional medical school places for the 2025 to 2026 academic year. This initiative aims to double medical school places by 2031 and address disparities in the distribution of places to support under-doctored areas.

Last year, the NHS introduced its Long Term Workforce Plan, supported by over £2.4 billion in government funding. This plan outlines the strategy to recruit and retain hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years, marking the most extensive training expansion in NHS history.

One of the key commitments is to increase the number of medical school places in England to 15,000 by 2031, ensuring equitable access to training across different regions. The Office for Students (OfS) has now allocated 350 places for the 2025 to 2026 academic year to medical schools nationwide.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins stated:

“Thanks to the government’s plan for a faster, simpler, and fairer healthcare system, the NHS now has record funding and a record number of doctors. I want to ensure we have the medical professionals needed in the years ahead. That’s why we are delivering the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and doubling the number of medical school places, so we can train the next generation of world-class doctors to provide patients with the highest quality care.”

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan added:

“Our frontline health workers do tremendous work in serving the nation every single day and ensuring all of us receive the care we need. I know how popular a career in medicine is among young people, and it’s crucial they have the chance to pursue their ambitions. With this expansion of places, alongside our new doctor degree apprenticeship, the opportunities for a career in medicine are greater than ever.”

Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England, commented:

“This is a hugely important moment for the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and marks one of the first steps towards our ambition to train more doctors in England than ever before. The record expansion will help us boost care for patients across the country. Our ambitious blueprint for the workforce is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put NHS staffing on a sustainable footing, especially as we continue to adapt to new and rising demand for health services.”

Dr. Katie Petty-Saphon, CEO of the Medical Schools Council, said:

“The Medical Schools Council welcomes the announcement of 350 additional student places from 2025. Medical schools are committed to widening participation in the profession, and local recruitment in under-doctored areas is particularly important. We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the NHS has the staff it needs to deliver high-quality patient care.”

Places have been allocated across the country, with the OfS using analysis provided by NHS England to target under-doctored areas. This includes significant increases to medical schools at universities in Sunderland, Leeds, East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin, Plymouth, and Surrey. The University of Surrey is receiving government-funded places for the first time.

This expansion builds on previous initiatives, including a 25% increase in medical school places in 2020, bringing the total number of places to 7,500 per year and establishing five new medical schools. The additional places for 2025 to 2026, combined with medical apprenticeship places, put the NHS on track to exceed current plans.

For the 2026 to 2027 academic year and beyond, the government and NHS England will work closely with partners, including medical schools, NHS trusts, and the General Medical Council, to implement ambitious reforms to medical education as outlined in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

For the ful list of medical allocations, check the governement press release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/350-extra-medical-school-places-allocated-in-nhs-training-boost