NEW nursing facilities at Aberystwyth University have been handed a cash boost as the institution gets ready to welcome its first cohort in September.

The £500,000 grant from the Welsh Government comes six months after the university’s plans to offer nursing qualifications for the first time were given the go-ahead by Health Education and Improvement Wales.

The money will be used to invest in facilities at the university’s new Healthcare Education Centre, located opposite Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.

The plans include capital works and the purchase of equipment to create a suite of high quality clinical practice rooms, as part of a £1.7 million University investment at the site.

Work on the facilities is due to be completed in March this year, in time for the first nursing students to begin their studies in September.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan MS said: “The people who work in the NHS are its lifeblood.

“Investing in training and the future workforce is a priority for us. I’m delighted our funding is helping to support a new phase for Aberystwyth University in providing nursing training.

“The new facility provides students with invaluable training in a rural setting, giving them experience of working closely with clinicians and patients in community settings.

“Over the past five years training places for nurses have increased by 72% in Wales and we are pleased that we have retained the NHS bursary for student nurses to support people into a career in nursing.

“I look forward to visiting the new centre when it opens in the spring and meeting those starting out on the journey to be becoming a nurse.”

Aberystwyth University Vice-Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Treasure said: “During the pandemic, the work of our nurses, and that of other NHS and care workers, has been nothing short of extraordinary.

“It is a great honour that we will be educating nurses here in Aberystwyth for the first time this September.

“We are very grateful to the Welsh Government for this important investment to support the development.

“The funding will help ensure that the new students have access to the best resources and a high quality education when they start in September.

“The Healthcare Education Centre will benefit the local recruitment and retention of nurses in mid-Wales, and offer wider benefits to the area.

“It also has the potential to inspire new models of healthcare delivery. “Supporting community needs, in close co-operation with our partners, is central to our civic mission; and establishing nursing education here is an important part of that.

“Our plans will also make an important contribution to enhancing mental health and Welsh-medium provision locally and beyond.”

The proposals to establish nursing education were developed by Aberystwyth University in co-operation with a number of partners including the Hywel Dda, Betsi Cadwaladr and Powys local health boards.