Anglia Ruskin University has received approval to open up Essex's first School of Medicine for undergraduates.

The General Medical Council (GMC) has approved Anglia Ruskin’s medical education programme, meaning the university now officially has School of Medicine status.

The £20 million school will be placed at the Chelmsford campus which means aspiring doctors can now come to Essex to train for their Bachelor of Medicine.

Students will be able to begin their degree as soon as September 2018.

Last year it was announced that the Government would fund an additional 1,500 training places through medical schools each year from 2018 and Anglia Ruskin University have said they will be bidding for a number of these places.

Dr Ruth Jackson, Pro Vice Chancellor for the School of Medicine Development, said:  “We are passionate about making a significant contribution to the medical workforce in Essex.

“At the moment, there is no pathway in Essex for the most able students in regional schools to practice medicine. We hope that the School of Medicine will change this and help the county and wider region to train and retain its own doctors.

“The road to GMC approval is, quite correctly, a lengthy and rigorous process and we are delighted that our medical education programme has met these stringent requirements. We will continue to work closely with the GMC once the programme is under way.”

Also pleased with this approval is Chelmsford MP, Vicky Ford, who said: “This is the first medical school in Essex and the first of a new generation across the whole of the UK.

“Students will be taught both in the medical school and in the hospitals in general practice surgeries so they will have hands-on experience on the front line from very very early on.

“The students will be benefit from a state of the art building with a £20 million investment. The students who sign up for this will be given the best education possible, everybody is committed to make this work.

“Having a new medical school in mid Essex is also very exciting for us all as patients. It is encouraging more first class doctors from all across the country and overseas to want to come and work in our local health service.