Luton and Dunstable Hospital is awarded UCL Medical School Teaching Hospital status

Proud moment as L&D becomes a University Hospital for London’s top medical school

Luton and Dunstable Hospital has become a University Teaching Hospital of University College London, the top medical school in the capital which is ranked 4th in the UK.

The achievement is seen as recognition of the excellent teaching that student doctors receive at Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

“Becoming a University Teaching Hospital is the realization of a longstanding ambition,” said Dr Mark Alexander, consultant radiologist and Director of Medical Education at Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

“Arriving at this point is the next stage in our challenge to focus on clinical excellence, quality and safety. The enthusiasm and determination of our Chief Executive, Pauline Philip with the support of the Hospital Chairman, Governors and Board have helped make full university teaching status a reality. This is a great milestone in the history of Luton & Dunstable Hospital and means that we can now train more doctors here than ever before.”

The inauguration event in the hospital’s Centre of Medical Education and Training was standing room only and guests from University College London were greeted with enthusiasm by a packed assembly of medical students, consultants and clinical colleagues.

Guest of honour Professor Jane Dacre, Director of the School of Medicine for University College London said,

“We are delighted that Luton and Dunstable Hospital has become part of the University College London family helping to deliver high quality and breadth in medical education. The L&D leadership team has shown how much they value medical training and this has been essential to the creation of a very positive relationship between students and tutors which will have an excellent impact on future doctors and patients.”

Final year medical students from UCL who attended the inauguration praised their L&D clinical tutors and were delighted that they should receive the recognition of university teaching status. It is an honour which they said was richly deserved.