Research and Technology

Proposed new world-leading precision medicine campus to be set up in Manchester

Article by Callum Wood of National Health Executive

Proposals have been announced to create a new world-leading precision medicine campus within the area of the Corridor Manchester Enterprise Zone, located on the UK’s largest clinical academic campus, Manchester University NHS.

Health Innovation Manchester has been working closely with a global diagnosis firm on a joint project which is predicted to create up to 1,500 jobs, adding almost £150m to Manchester’s economy over a decade.

The development is said to bring health benefits to peoples living in Manchester and Greater Manchester, as well as those living nationally and internationally.

The proposals have been welcomed by Manchester and Greater Manchester civic, academic and health leaders.

Manchester City Council has decided to fund up to £21m for the development of the facility. Greater Manchester Combined Authority has already agreed to provide £3 million of loan funding.

This will provide Manchester with the potential to grow in this vital emerging industry.

Manchester is already considered a UK flagship for life sciences, with major innovation hubs in the Corridor Manchester Campus and nearby Alderley Park.

Benefits for Manchester is said to include: providing health benefits for residents by enabling strides to be taken in the prediction and prevention of disease through new diagnostic tests, and by supporting and creating jobs in the city’s economy.

This investment will create around 250 jobs and safeguard an extra 215 while supporting more than 1,000 more indirectly across Corridor Manchester. It will support the life sciences sector, acting as a market for related small and medium-sized enterprises as part of an Applied Health Innovation Campus and reinforcing the city’s reputation at the cutting edge of innovation.

Greater Manchester’s unique health and social care devolution arrangements will enable patients to benefit more quickly from new tests and medicines and access to clinical trials.

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This will help confirm Manchester as a world leader in this vital emerging industry with enormous growth potential. This is an opportunity that as a city we cannot afford to miss. It’s a win-win – not just creating a raft of new highly skilled health science jobs and an economic boost but crucially also opening up revolutionary new health benefits for people here. Manchester’s future success depends on building on our distinctive strengths and life sciences definitely fall into that category.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “We’ve always led the way in Greater Manchester, whether it’s cutting edge science and technology, being at the forefront of social change, or pioneering partnerships across different sectors. The NHS was ‘born’ here in Greater Manchester in the middle of the 20^th century, 70 years ago and last week we celebrated this. This week we secure our position in 21^st century health innovation with this global deal.”

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