University to develop £10 million Sports Medicine Centre of Excellence

Our University is set develop a £10 million institute forming part of the country’s first ever National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre of Excellence.

The Sheffield institute will be one of three national hubs, along with London and East Midlands Health, which will work together to form the Centre, to promote sport and exercise medicine across the country. Our University will be working with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Sheffield Hallam University in a network partnership to develop the city’s £10 million institute.

The East Midlands partnership will revolve around the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester along with NHS Trusts in those cities and Loughborough University. Meanwhile the London hub will be formed by a partnership between University College London and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The establishment of the centre will also fulfil one of the Government’s key 2012 Games bid commitments and will be a lasting legacy of the Games.

The centre will help more people to be more active and will treat injuries caused by exercise and conditions associated with lack of exercise. This will mean people who are injured return to physical health and work more quickly. It will also help people use the benefits of physical activity to cope with existing medical conditions, such as diabetes.

Professor Keith Burnett, Vice-Chancellor, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the University of Sheffield is playing such an important role in developing a National Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine. The outstanding research into the role of exercise within health taking place at the University of Sheffield promises real improvements for the health of people right across the city and beyond.

“It is especially appropriate that in the year Jessica Ennis – a University of Sheffield graduate who also grew up and still lives in Sheffield – will represent Great Britain in the Olympic Games in London, this important Centre will form part of the national Olympic Legacy.”

Professor Jonathan Nicholl, Dean of the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), said: “Here at the ScHARR we are delighted to be a part of this project and are looking forward to the opportunity for researching into the role of physical activity in improving the health of the people of Sheffield.”

Our University has well-established partnerships with a number of universities and major corporations, both in the UK and abroad. Our partnership with Leeds and York Universities in the White Rose Consortium has a combined research power greater than that of either Oxford or Cambridge.

Sir Andrew Cash, Chief Executive, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust added: “It is fantastic news that Sheffield will be one of three hubs forming the National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre of Excellence. The focus of the Sheffield arm of the three Olympic Legacy centres of excellence is centred on the promotion of physical activity and improvement of the health and productivity of the people of Sheffield.

“The city is well placed to ensure this project is successful. Sheffield has world class sport and medical facilities complemented by world class research and educational programmes in the city’s two universities. In addition, Sheffield has award winning public health and voluntary sector programmes aimed at engaging "at risk" groups and communities and reducing health inequalities.”