May 2010

The theme of the annual joint meeting with the Association of UK University Hospitals was ‘message for action: an opportunity for the medical school and university hospital community to work together to prepare their positions with the incoming Government’. Members of the two organisations worked together in groups focusing on four key areas: Funding and Policy; Service Configuration and Workforce; Research and Education; Education and Training. Their task was to identify the key issues that are of principle concern and what they suggest the Government and others do about it.

Some of the key issues can be seen below:

Funding and Policy: The key message for Trusts and Universities is that they are in this together and it is therefore essential that they work together.

Fortunately there is a wealth of experience; as many staff have experienced recession before and there is an opportunity to share collective expertise. Policies and processes that are needed include; addressing short term affordability and long term sustainability, increasing productivity and promoting safety and quality of services.

Workforce and Service Reconfiguration: There is a need to develop integrated care systems that incorporate community services and which have Teaching Hospitals at their centre making use of the extensive management expertise. This service reorganisation needs to come from the bottom up. In addition, the regulatory system needs to be simplified and it is important to build flexibility in the workforce and in training.

Research and Education: In terms of funding, teaching and research are two sides of the same coin. There is a need to move away from the bi-polar nature of bio-medical research and medical education and there needs to be more joined up thinking in the policy relating to, and the administration of, medical research and education. There is a significant risk that research and education are seen as costs and not as investments – this need to be countered.

Education and Training: Members need to identify themselves as the leaders of medical education training and lobby the new government with clear messages for the future. In addition, members need to use other professionals to educate and train medics better than in the past and find ways to give patient experts a larger role in training.

These discussions and the key issues highlighted should enable the university hospitals and medical schools to present a powerful and consistent message to policy makers across the UK about ‘who needs to do what’ to ensure that excellence in the delivery of education, research and tertiary services is maintained.