THE university status granted to Aneurin Bevan Health Board is great news for health education and research – and ultimately patients – in the area, say Gwent NHS bosses.

University status was granted after the health board, which applied for it in March, was able to demonstrate the broad range of educational and research activity taking place in the area’s hospitals, and the progress made in these fields in recent years.

It makes Aneurin Bevan the fourth of Wales’ seven health boards to be granted university status, the others are Cardiff and Vale, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, and Betsi Cadwalladr.

It will now be called Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and has had to, and must continue to, demonstrate its commitment to excellence in terms of partnership with higher education, the quality of services provided.

“Education and research are core business for us, not least because they lead to better quality care for our patients, better population health and outcomes, and a better trained workforce for the future.” said health board chairman David Jenkins.

“I hope it also shows our ambitions for our community, with a wish to learn and continuously improve the quality we provide to our patients.”

Medical director Dr Grant Robinson said the achievement of university status is an indication of the commitment of “primary and secondary care clinicians across all professions in undergraduate and postgraduate education and research.”

“For example, nearly two-thirds of our consultant staff are formally recognised as clinical teachers,” he said.

“We are delighted with the opportunities this gives us to work ever more closely with clinical schools at Cardiff University.”

Cardiff University supported the health board status bid, and its Dean of Medical Education, Professor John Bligh, called it “very good news for healthcare education in the region.”

“The ground is now set for further innovation and for the partnership between the health board and Cardiff University to develop even further,” he said.

“High quality health care needs high quality education and this award recognises the commitment Aneurin Bevan has to the education of students and of practitioners.”