DoH memorandum promises no overlap in training for health staff

Bob Fryer has been appointed chief executive designate of the National Health Service University.

News of his appointment came as Universities UK and the Department of Health announced that they had signed a memorandum of understanding, setting out that the NHSU will not encroach on the pre-registration courses already run by universities.

There had been fears that the NHSU would duplicate the work of universities.

"Universities will continue to undertake pre-registration education for nurses, midwives, allied health professions, pharmacists, doctors and dentists, working in partnership with the NHS. The NHSU will not establish pre-registration programmes in these professions," the memorandum says.

Professor Fryer said: "It would be a great mistake for the NHSU to encroach on the existing excellent pre-registration courses already on offer." But he said that the NHSU would work in collaboration with universities on continuing professional development.