Willmott Dixon has been selected to deliver a new Bolton Hospital training facility at the Royal Bolton Hospital site in Farnworth by Bolton College of Medical Sciences (BCMS)
A new Bolton Hospital training facility contract has been awarded to Willmott Dixon, procured using the Procure Partnerships Framework.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Bolton, Bolton College, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and Bolton Council, designed to give people a direct route into clinical healthcare employment, focusing on practical, skills-based learning in a live hospital environment.
The clinical skills and medical training facility at Farnsworth will host 3,000 students a year
In addition to a range of new courses and apprenticeships that will provide entry-level and higher-level skills development for those aged 16+, BCMS will also deliver continual professional development opportunities for existing NHS staff.
Apprenticeship provision will extend to higher and degree apprenticeships, with programmes including nursing apprenticeships and higher care leadership and management apprenticeships.
BCMS, allocated £20m by the Levelling Up Fund last year, will deliver training to approximately 3,000 learners each year.
The construction is expected to deliver £6m in social value for the local area
Once open, it is expected to contribute £150m to the local economy over its lifetime.
As part of the programme, Willmott Dixon will deliver £6m in social value for the community, largely through local employment and supply-chain expenditure.
Anthony Dillon, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the North, said: “We are proud to continue to play our part in shaping the future of Bolton. BCMS will be built for the people of Bolton by the people of Bolton, and we will work with our local supply chain partners to create sustainable employment opportunities and a lasting positive legacy in this community.”
The Bolton Hospital medical training facility project will help regenerate Bolton and benefit the wider North West
Professor George E Holmes DL, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Bolton, said: “BCMS is arguably one of the most significant projects delivered in the North West in decades. Not only will it increase employment prospects in the local area and make healthcare professions more accessible, but it will also help alleviate NHS staffing pressures in Greater Manchester and provide improved levels of care in our community. It’s brilliant to see the build underway.”
Bolton Council’s executive cabinet member for regeneration, councillor Adele Warren, said: “Bolton College of Medical Sciences will be a great asset to our borough, creating jobs and allowing residents to learn skills and train for a new career. The council is proud to work closely with our partners on this development, one of many key regeneration projects being delivered across the borough.”
The project is due to complete in 2024, when the first intake of BCMS learners is due to start.
