A MULTI-MILLION pound medical school could be opening at the University of Worcester, it has emerged.

It comes just weeks after the Government announced plans for a significant expansion of doctors, with an extra 1,500 training places available across England from 2018.

The university has been approached by the Higher Education Funding Council about whether it wants to help by establishing a training centre in the city.

Today it confirmed that "preliminary discussions" have started about the University of Worcester launching a medical school to play its part.

It comes at a time when the NHS is in crisis in Worcestershire, with the acute trust still in special measures, a deficit of £37 million forecast for this financial year, serious A&E overcrowding and the recent deaths.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced proposals to train an extra 1,500 doctors from 2018 partly in response to Brexit, amid concern many foreign ones could go home.

It will be a 25 per cent increase, and under the deal all those who qualify must work in the NHS for at least four years afterwards.

No specific site has been revealed for Worcester's potential medical school yet, but the university owns swathes of land - not to mention the space inside its current buildings.

But private talks have already taken place around it providing more than 70 trainee doctors a year, and they will be expected to work somewhere within the West Mercia ‘region’ – the same footprint of the police force – after they qualify.

The closest medical schools to Worcestershire at the moment are in Birmingham and Bristol, with both areas tending to be where most of the newly qualified doctors settle.

Professor David Green, the university's vice-chancellor, said: "The preliminary discussions we are holding with partners have gone very well so far, but there is a long way to go before even this preliminary stage is complete.

"As soon as the university is in a position to make a public statement alongside our partners we will do so, but these discussions will take some time.

"We hope to be able to make a further statement by Easter."

He added: “The university has long been known for the excellence of our teachers and early years educators - our work in health is just as outstanding.

“Over the last decade this work has become very much more extensive and now one student in every four at the university is studying to work in health and well-being.

“We are very serious about making an even broader beneficial impact in society by extending our education to include medical doctors, probably on a graduate entry basis.”

The Worcester News understands it may not be up and running until the 2020s, but the university's bid is being looked at favourably by ministers.

Worcester MP Robin Walker said: "I'm offering my full support for this bid and I am delighted by the prospect of our city training the next generation of local doctors.

"Given the recent challenges at the Worcestershire royal, a training partnership could be part of the solution in recruiting and retaining doctors locally not only in the hospital itself but also in our wider NHS including GPs and mental health.

"It could increase our pipeline of junior doctors and trainees whilst also giving senior doctors and consultants greater job satisfaction in being able to help shape the workforce of the future.

"A new medical school would be a win for our local NHS."