New training hub to boost community healthcare

A new healthcare training facility aimed at improving access to local services while training future clinicians has opened at Buckinghamshire New University in High Wycombe.

The Primary Care Training Hub at the university’s High Wycombe campus was officially opened on Friday (6 March) during a ceremony attended by Emma Reynolds and the Mayor of High Wycombe, Majid Hussain.

Staff, students and community members were invited to tour the facility, which aims to combine education, clinical practice and community healthcare in one accessible space.

The hub will be open to students, staff and local residents and is set to offer a range of health and wellbeing services. Planned provision includes GP consultations from April, physiotherapy and musculoskeletal (MSK) services, occupational therapy, sport therapy, functional and disability assessments, and mental health support.

Students will also be able to access fast-track Disability Student Allowance assessments through the university’s disability support team.

Associate Professor Esin Turkaslan, who helped lead the development of the hub, said it had been designed to allow students and healthcare professionals to work together while supporting the local community.

“We created this space so that students, educators, clinicians and community partners can work side by side, learning from one another while developing clinical skills and delivering care that reflects the needs of our communities,” she said.

“The hub is student-centred and provides supervised training while supporting patients, representing a shared commitment to preparing compassionate and safe healthcare professionals for the future.”

Professor Jermaine Ravalier, Pro Vice-Chancellor at BNU, said the new facility would benefit both students and residents.

“This hub is about opportunity. It will help people who might not otherwise be able to access support, while giving our students the chance to learn in a real clinical environment,” he said.

Mayor Majid Hussain said the hub would improve access to healthcare services closer to home.

“One of the most important impacts of this hub is access to services locally and access to integrated, preventative and responsive support that understands the needs of the local population,” he said. “This matters enormously, especially at a time when health services everywhere are under pressure.”

Dr Ashrafur Rahim, who hosts clinical placements for students at Hughenden Valley Surgeries, said the initiative demonstrated the value of collaboration between universities and healthcare providers.

“This is more than just opening a facility; it represents a shared commitment to education, partnership and the future of healthcare,” he said.

The Primary Care Training Hub will initially operate on Mondays and Fridays between 9am and 4pm, with the university exploring extended opening hours and the possibility of establishing a permanent base on the High Wycombe campus.