GWENT hospitals may struggle to fulfil their role in training doctors of the future due to Assembly delays in backing a medical education centre in Newport.

Health bosses are dismayed that despite having project details of the £5.5 million plan for eight months, Assembly officials have only just decided on a three-month study of the proposal.

It is almost two and a half years since Health Minister Jane Hutt endorsed the idea of a Health Sciences Institute on Cardiff Road, next to the Royal Gwent Hospital.

The project is considered essential in helping train the extra doctors needed to meet growing demands.

Last year, more than 3,400 medical students spent time training in Gwent, but that will rise to more than 4,500 by 2005/06.

Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, has a new education centre, but the Health Sciences Institute would be the crowning glory of Gwent Clinical School, set up to formally recognise Gwent hospitals' role in training the medics of tomorrow.

The delay caused by the study, ordered by the Assembly's Capital investment Board, is described as disappointing for staff in the short term, in a Gwent Healthcare Trust report which warns that "further delays will also jeopardise the trust's ability to accommodate the planned numbers of medical students in the longer term".

Considerable investment has been made in the Swansea clinical school and a similar project going ahead in North Wales.

"There has been a lot of talk about these, but no talk about Gwent's. We are in danger of being overlooked. We're not getting the prominence we deserve," said trust board member Dr Edward Coles, who pointed out that more medical student training hours are spent in Gwent than in Swansea. His concerns were shared by trust chairman Dr Brian Willott. "If there were questions to be asked, why did they not ask them several months ago?" he said.

The plan involves demolishing the existing vacant building at 64 Cardiff Road, and replacing it with a building housing a 180-seat lecture theatre, seminar and tutorial rooms, library, reception area, exhibition space and offices. Planning permission has been secured.