The present helathcare campus at Foresterhill, Aberdeen is a result of the Joint Hospitals Scheme, the visionary plan of Professor Matthew Hay in the early twentieth century.
In the twenty-first century, the campus provides high quality health services, education and research.
NHS Grampian have a full range of clinical services in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, the new Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, which opened in January 2004 and Aberdeen Maternity Hospital (the latter soon to be replaced by the Baird Family Hospital).
The University of Aberdeen have the following healthcare facilities:
Suttie Centre for Teaching & Learning in Healthcare, at the heart of the Campus is a joint project between the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian. It is used by students of various disciplines, healthcare staff, health practitioners and the general public.
The Clinical Skills Centre is equipped with the latest technology and medical simulation modalities, providing a safe environment for students to experience and practise their skills. It also regularly hosts a range of courses including regional anaesthesa workshops, general surgical skills and several national courses including Advanced Life Support. It is recognised by the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) for postgraduate clinical exams and courses.
The Institute of Medical Sciences opened in 1996 and provides for over 350 scientists and support staff in molecular and cell biology research in a variety of fields, working closely with their clinical colleagues.
The Institute of Dentistry has academic and dental care facilities. The first cohort of dental students graduated in 2012. They have an active research community amongst undergraduate and postgraduate students, and staff.
The Health Sciences Building opened in August 2006 and houses the Clinical Research Facility, the Institute of Applied Health Sciences, the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation (formerly Health Services Research Unit), Academic Urology Unit, Health Psychology and the Epidemiology Group. An Imaging Department is equiped for up-to-the-minute imaging techniques.
The Lilian Sutton Building houses the Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, which continues to develop new techniques and evaluate developing technologies in diagnostic imaging. The current team build on the pioneering work of Professor John Mallard’s team in the creation of new technologies such as PEDRI, Fast-Field Cycling MRI, ultra low field MRI and hand-held PET.
The Polwarth Building, constructed in the 1930s as the original home of the Medical School at Foresterhill, has been extended in the years after the second world war and now houses many academic offices, lecture theatres, research groups and the University Medical Library.
