James Naish MP for Rushcliffe has visited the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) to see the facility for the first time ahead of it starting to treat patients next year (2025).
He was hosted by Miriam Duffy, NRC Programme Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nick Carver, Chair at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, DNRC Programme Director.
The NRC will be the first national NHS rehabilitation centre in the country providing clinical rehabilitation to patients in the East Midlands. The centre will be run and staffed by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust which is already home to the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre - the busiest trauma centre in the country, and the one with the strongest clinical outcomes - as well as other regional specialist centres such as orthopaedics, spinal and neurosurgery.
The NRC will also be the national centre for both rehabilitation research and innovation - in partnership with the University of Nottingham and Loughborough University - and training and education, sharing the best practice and cutting-edge developments within the field for the benefit of patients across the UK.
The visit included a briefing on the origin of the NRC concept as well as discussions about the unique nature of the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate which combines the new NRC with the established Defence Rehabilitation Centre (‘DMRC Stanford Hall’) in a novel way to promote sharing and learning between NHS and Defence medicine, plus a tour of the building which is now fast approaching its final form.
Miriam Duffy, NRC Programme Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “It was excellent to welcome James to the NRC for his first visit and to see and learn about what this amazing facility will do when we begin welcoming our first patients next year.
“Our ambition to shift the dial on rehabilitation with our new clinical model is bold and the potential for the NRC is truly significant. Collaborating is key to success and we’re grateful to James for taking the time to visit and understand more about our work.”
James Naish, MP for Rushcliffe, said: “Rushcliffe has many outstanding places but the NRC is right up there in terms of local, national and international significance. It was great to see the building and to speak to the teams involved, and to hear their determination to build a fantastic facility.
“The new Labour government is committed to building an NHS fit for the future, announcing over £22bn of investment in the recent budget while developing a 10-year plan to make the shift from analogue to digital healthcare centred in communities.
“Centres like the NRC will lead the way in this endeavour, using the latest medical technology to support rehabilitation patients. I have no doubt this is going to be a huge asset for Rushcliffe, as well for the East Midlands and beyond.”
Mr Naish visited the NRC on Thursday 5 December 2024.