Anglia Ruskin University

Date published: 08 August 2006

£8 Million Healthcare Education Centre

Work has started on the construction of the new £8M healthcare education centre at Anglia Ruskin University's Rivermead Campus in Chelmsford.

The state of the art facility is intended to revolutionise the delivery of health and social care training when it is completed in 2007.

The new building is being constructed on the Rivermead Campus and is due for completion in June 2007 in readiness for the new academic year.

The five storey building will provide simulated clinical environments, giving students the opportunity to gain hands on experience in a variety of acute and community settings.

The centre has been developed in consultation with architects Ridge & Partners, Anglia Ruskin staff and clinicians across Essex.

WDC Director of Education and Development Michelle Gallifent said;
"This is more than just a building. It's a totally different way of thinking about education and this is just what Essex needs. More than 45% of the current nursing population of Essex will retire within the next five years, so we need to encourage new recruits to the sector. Coupled with this, the predictions are that there wll be major growth in Essex as a result of the many regeneration projects planned for the County. Consequently, we need to ensure a ready supply of appropriately educated and trained health and social care professionals to provide the best care for this population growth".

As well as four mock hospital wards, there will be an intensive care setting, a radiography suite and a classroom where people can learn and improve their face-to-face communication skills.

One of the simulated environments will be a much tighter space to represent what it will be like to visit and work with someone in their own home.

Facilities will include:

• Four mock hospital wards
• Radiography suite
• An operating department area
• Dedicated counselling suite
• Mental health area
• An intensive / high dependency care area
• Space for midwifery and
  complimentary therapies