Primary Care Training Hub officially opens
The ribbon has officially been cut at BNU’s new Primary Care Training Hub, marking a new chapter in community-focused healthcare.
In a landmark moment on Friday 6 March, staff, students and community members including MP Emma Reynolds and Mayor of High Wycombe Majid Hussain came together to explore the pioneering new space, which brings education, healthcare and community support under one roof.
The Hub will connect clinical practice, student training and community care in a single, accessible space. Open to staff, students and local residents, it will offer a range of health and wellbeing services, including planned GP consultations from April, physiotherapy and musculoskeletal (MSK) services, occupational therapy, sport therapy, functional and disability assessments, and mental health support. Students will also be able to access fast-track Disability Student Allowance (DSA) assessments when referred by the university’s Disability team.
Associate Professor Esin Turkaslan, who has been instrumental in creating the Hub said: “We created this space so that students, educators, clinicians and community partners can work side by side, learning from one another while developing clinical skills and delivering care that truly reflects the needs of our communities. The Hub is student-centred and provides supervised training while supporting patients, representing a shared commitment to preparing compassionate and safe healthcare professionals for the future.”
Highlighting the broader impact, Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Jermaine Ravalier said: “This hub is about opportunity. It will help people who might not otherwise be able to access support, while giving our students the chance to learn in a real clinical environment.”
Dr Abbie Fordham Barnes, Dean of the College of Health and Society, emphasised the connection between wellbeing and education: “By investing in students’ wellbeing through the Primary Care Training Hub, we are not only supporting healthier students today, but also helping to build a stronger and more compassionate healthcare workforce for the future.”
Mayor of High Wycombe, Majid Hussain, who cut the ribbon to officially open the Hub added: “One of the most important impacts of this Hub is access - access to services closer to home, access to support that is integrated, preventative and responsive, and access to care that truly understands the needs of the local population. This matters enormously, especially at a time when health services everywhere are under pressure.”
Local healthcare partners have also played a key role in the Hub’s development. Dr Rahim, who hosts clinical placements for students at Hughenden Valley Surgeries, said: “Initiatives like this demonstrate the power of collaboration between the universities and the local healthcare providers. This is more than just opening a facility - it represents a shared commitment to education, partnership and the future of healthcare.”
The Primary Care Training Hub will operate initially on Mondays and Fridays from 9am to 4pm, however the university is already exploring extended opening hours and the potential for a permanent base for the Hub at the High Wycombe campus.
