The Mary Seacole Health Innovation Centre was unveiled in a ceremony on Wednesday, 28 September by Sir David Warren, the Chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The state-of-the-art health innovation centre will aid in training the next generation of nursing and allied health professionals within primary and community health care.
The £3.2m health innovation centre will provide high-quality and extensive health education teaching for students with a focus on primary and community health care.
The centre introduces a number of medical technology advances including the use of Scotia Medical Observation and Training (SMOT) systems, video-assisted simulation systems, editing booths and technology that supports students enhanced flexible teaching and learning experiences.
In addition to enhanced learning opportunities for students, the centre will support the growth and diversification of nursing, with a focus on addressing the changing issues within primary and community care.
The facility will also allow the University to expand its degree-level healthcare courses and higher technical and apprenticeships with courses including physiotherapy and occupational therapy being introduced.
Last year, the University won a capital grant from the Office for Students (OfS) to support the development of a new state-of-the-art Healthcare Hub as part of the University’s plans to establish the most extensive, high-quality health education offer in South London.
The opening of the Mary Seacole Health Innovation Centre marks the University’s ongoing efforts to support the growing and urgent need in South London for nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy healthcare professionals.
Professor Jean-Noël Ezingeard, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Roehampton, said: “The opening of the Mary Seacole Health Innovation Centre underpins the University of Roehampton’s aspirations to provide students with best-in-class facilities for primary and community healthcare courses.
“As the demand for health care workers in South London looks set to grow again in 2023, our enhanced healthcare courses for students as well as the launch of our new courses on both degree and apprenticeship levels will help meet that demand and empower us to train the next generation of healthcare professionals in our local community.”
Sir David Warren, the Chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said “With the help of institutions and partners, we are constantly learning new ways of working and innovation within health care as we look forward to the future.
“Massive pressures on the social and health care system continue to grow, and we cannot sit still. To cope with this, there must be a constant change within innovation, new skills and new ways of working to help facilitate our needs.
“The Mary Seacole Health Innovation Centre will be central in training students with traditional and innovative teaching methods such as AI and technology-led equipment. It is a great privilege to support these local professions and support them through higher education.”
More information about the Mary Seacole Health Innovation Centre can be found here.