The University of Suffolk's new £13m state- of-the-art Health and Wellbeing Building was officially opened by His Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston. 

The Health and Wellbeing building provides students, including those from the Shotley peninsula area, with a variety of state-of-the-art clinical simulation facilities, including two simulated hospital wards, a midwifery birthing unit, new physiotherapy teaching spaces, a new sports and exercise facility and a working radiography imaging suite. 

From left to right: University of Suffolk chair of the board Mark Pendlington, Vice-Chancellor Helen Langton, Lord Lieutenant for Suffolk Lady Euston, West Suffolk MP Jo Churchill, NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB chief executive and visiting professor of integrated care Dr Ed Garratt (Picture: Gregg Brown Photography/University of Suffolk)

The building also hosts the Institute of Health and Wellbeing Research and the Integrated Care Academy.  

In addition, the building also features a clinical unit, where our strategic partners, SuffolkMIND and AHP Suffolk deliver their services to the public.  

Lady Euston unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the official opening said: "I am delighted to officially open the University's Health and Wellbeing building and see first-hand the incredible facilities available to students.

"This modern teaching facility offers students a unique opportunity to gain skills and experience that will help them build successful careers in the health and wellbeing sector."  

Students demonstrating the equipment in the new Health and Wellbeing Building Gregg Brown Photography/University of Suffolk

The University of Suffolk prides itself on offering dynamic and diverse undergraduate, postgraduate degrees, and apprenticeships in health and social care with a focus on critical thinking, employability, and applied learning.  

Paul Driscoll-Evans, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Health and Wellbeing, at the University of Suffolk said: "The official opening of the Health and Wellbeing building is a significant milestone, showcasing the University's commitment to providing the highest quality education to its students. Working closely with our partners in the sector, we can lead on the promotion of integrated care, creating opportunities for learning and building experiences for careers in the health and wellbeing sectors."  

The Health and Wellbeing building has been developed through a unique alliance between the University, the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) and Suffolk County Council and is just one of the forward-looking partnerships that the University is part of in the health and care sectors.   

In May 2021, the University, in partnership with the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System, Suffolk County Council, Healthwatch Suffolk along with others from the voluntary and community sectors, such as Suffolk MIND and local hospices, launched the Integrated Care Academy (ICA).   

The ICA was established to support the changing needs of health and social care, and to help sustain and develop joined-up services for the health and wellbeing of the population in Suffolk, North East Essex and beyond. When it was launched, it was the first of its kind in this country and is cited as a best practice model for the provision of health and social care.