Emma Harper South Scotland MSP has contacted John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, to make the case for establishing a new medical school in Dumfries & Galloway.
Within the Scottish Government’s *Programme for Scotland 2019-20, there is a commitment to develop proposals for a new medical school in Scotland. This will build on the country’s existing international reputation for excellence within the higher education, science and medical sectors, widening access to these core subjects in the future.
Ms Harper’s call has come on the back of representations made to her from members of the Crichton Campus Leadership Group and from her work as Deputy Convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Health Committee where she has been pursuing issues relating to training, education and recruitment of GPs and other health professionals – especially to Dumfries & Galloway.
The policy for a new medical school was highlighted as an opportunity for the region to receive needed capital, skills and educational investment which would offer significant investment and benefit to the whole region, as well as to Scotland.
Ms Harper said;
“I have called on the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to hear why Dumfries & Galloway is the ideal location for Scotland’s new medical school to be established.
“I have set out the core reasons why key influencers, and myself, consider that the Crichton Campus is the ideal site for a new medical school – particularly because there are unique challenges and excellent potential opportunities which our region offers.
“I’d encourage people to take a look at the detail within my letter, which will be available on my social media pages.”
