As pressures on public health systems continue to outpace workforce growth and innovation, the Russell Group is committing to go further in strengthening capacity, advancing medical breakthroughs and tackling deep-rooted health inequalities.

By 2030, the Russell Group of universities commits to training 181,000 students with the skills needed to support a modern health and care system – an increase of over 15%, or an extra 26,000 students on the current cohort.

This includes doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives delivering frontline care, alongside engineers, social scientists and technology specialists whose expertise is increasingly essential to improving today’s healthcare services.

Improving access and boosting life sciences

While they expand training, universities will also look to remove barriers to help more disadvantaged students access medical and health careers.

Russell Group universities have more than doubled the number of students from the most deprived areas studying medicine and dentistry over the past decade – but this is just the start.

Working in partnership, universities will continue to pursue initiatives like targeted gateway courses, summer schools and mentoring that make health and care careers more open to students from all backgrounds.

Russell Group universities are also announcing today that they will intensify support for life sciences innovation.

By growing the number and scale of spinouts emerging from their research base, they aim to help secure around £5bn in external investment into new life sciences companies in 2030 – up from £3bn a year currently. This will accelerate the development of cutting-edge medicines, treatments and technologies, while attracting highly-skilled jobs and new business investment into communities across the UK.

The 10 Year Plan for the NHS in England and healthcare strategies in the devolved administrations have recognised the vital role of universities in providing the training, research and innovation needed to transform healthcare services.

In spite of the financial pressures universities face, the Russell Group is committing to going even further in helping the NHS and the wider public health system address its most acute challenges in a generation.

While delivering on these commitments, Russell Group universities will for the first time convene a nationwide series of community engagement events.

Building on our universities’ strong links within their regions, the new programme will bring together the people who best understand the biggest health challenges in their area – from NHS trusts and councils, to charities and community organisations.

These discussions will focus on shared priorities, gaps in capacity and the practical changes needed to improve health outcomes locally. Rooted in the needs and lived experiences of local people, the programme will generate concrete insights and ideas on how universities can best deploy their teaching, research and civic resources to deliver the greatest impact.

The first set of events will take place at the University of Bristol, King’s College London, University of Manchester, Newcastle University and Queen’s University Belfast.

United for a resilient health system

Professor Chris Day, Chair of the Russell Group and Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University commented: “Few things are more important than protecting the health of the people in this country, but the system is under huge strain. Improving access to care and patient outcomes requires a collective effort to build capacity, strengthen the workforce and drive innovation.

“Russell Group universities have always played a vital role in delivering the workforce and the research that underpins the modern NHS. We have trained over 70% of the UK doctors and dentists working today and delivered breakthroughs that transform lives, from the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine to IVF treatment and MRI scanners. But we recognise that turning the health system into one that is more local, preventative and resilient will require a significant shift – towards more partnership, more coordination and more responsiveness to the needs of our communities.

“This is what our new landmark commitment is all about. By expanding the talent pipeline, accelerating life sciences innovation and convening local partners to focus on the challenges communities face, we are committing to play our full part in building a more resilient health and care system – even at a time of increasing financial pressures for higher education institutions.”

Commenting on the announcement, UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “The NHS is revered for its skilled workforce and making sure that patients get access to the best new medicines and treatments. This landmark commitment will help us go further in training the next generation of clinicians and scientists, lead to more cutting‑edge companies being formed, and turn research excellence into better outcomes for patients up and down the country.

“This is how the government and our world‑leading universities are helping deliver the Life Sciences Sector Plan in practice – bringing investment, highly paid jobs and healthier lives to people across the UK”.

Newcastle University’s Community Health Bus

Newcastle University’s Community Health Bus brings essential health support directly into neighbourhoods, helping people access care they might otherwise miss.

Run with Newcastle GP Services, the nurse‑led bus gives pharmacy students hands‑on clinical experience while offering residents blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests, diabetes risk scores, smoking cessation referrals and more.

The aim is simple: tackle health inequalities and reach those who need support most. Students gain real‑world skills, and communities receive convenient, preventative care close to home.

The bus also supports wider health initiatives — from community cervical screening to research projects with national partners. Alongside other outreach like the Young@Heart clinic, it shows how Newcastle University is working beyond campus to improve local health, strengthen NHS workforce pipelines and help people live longer, healthier lives.