New era for Portsmouth's Queen Alexandra Hospital as it is awarded university hospital status

That is the ambition in Portsmouth as the city’s NHS Trust is awarded university hospital status in a move that bosses say will bring significant benefits to patients, students and staff.

The renamed Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust will continue to provide care while working on further improvements in research and education with the University of Portsmouth.

It will bring more training and employment opportunities to the hospital, for a range of clinical staff, and also is hoped to attract high-grade clinicians to work in Portsmouth.

Professor Anoop Chauhan, executive director of research at the trust, said: ‘It is fantastic that the trust has been awarded university hospital status, and will help us to drive forward opportunities for research and education.

‘It is our ambition that every one of our patients has access to a clinical trial or innovation.

‘By continuing to work together with the University of Portsmouth, sharing our resources and expertise and increasing our research collaborations, we will use cutting-edge science and technology to innovate and create tests and treatments that will benefit our patients more quickly.’

Three joint clinical and academic roles are also being created to support the development of international research leadership and embed research into teaching and clinical practices.

Chief executive Mark Cubbon said: ‘As a university hospital we will embed research, education and training across all that we do to continue to drive improvements and ensure that our patients receive the best possible care.

‘Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust and the University of Portsmouth are two of the largest employers in Portsmouth and are at the heart of our communities.

‘This is an exciting opportunity for these anchor institutions to work even more closely together to improve the health and wellbeing of our local population.’

University vice chancellor Professor Graham Galbraith has been appointed to the trust as an associate non-executive director.

Mark Cubbon, chief executive of PHU, will be appointed as an external governor of the University of Portsmouth from August 1.

Professor Galbraith added: ‘I am delighted that our decade-long partnership with Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust has developed to new heights.

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‘This involves joint research appointments to serve the needs of our community, as well as a more co-ordinated approach to providing the workforce of the future and this has been recognised with the granting of university hospital status.

‘This is a watershed moment with two of the most important institutions in the city working in partnership to improve the health, wellbeing and educational opportunities for people in our local communities.’

Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust joins 44 other specialist trusts nationwide which have achieved the high standards required to form the membership of the University Hospitals Association.

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