A partnership between the University of Exeter and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) has been renewed, strengthening a relationship to foster leadership in health research, education, and innovation to benefit patients in Cornwall and beyond.
The third iteration of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations is designed to advance world-class education and research, develop a skilled, research-active healthcare workforce across Cornwall and the wider South West, and enhance population health.
The two organisations already work together to deliver exciting innovations in Cornwall, such as the University of Exeter Medical School's Truro-based campus, which is based on the site of the Royal Cornwall Hospital, and recently celebrated 20 years of training medical students.
Professor Lisa Roberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter said: "We're so proud of our strong collaboration with RCHT. People in Cornwall benefit from having locally led research, clinical excellence and outstanding education on the doorstep. We have bold plans for the future of this partnership, to further strengthen opportunities for research and education, economic growth, and most importantly, direct benefit for patients."
The new Memorandum of Understanding was signed at an event which brought together scientists and clinicians to celebrate and progress the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre, in which RCHT is a key partner. Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the centre unlocks opportunities to translate research into practice, developing strong links with industry that benefit the economy. Already, the BRC and trust have worked together to enable a process for joint appointments and have successfully appointed the first joint post, a Senior Investigator Fellowship.
Other benefits of the partnership include RCHT securing a new NIHR Commercial Research Delivery Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, expanding capacity to deliver high-quality research locally.
The two organisations are now working to increase funding to develop joint clinical academic posts, and to create a new generation of research leaders across all disciplines – from oncology and neurology to population health and digital surgery.
