The Department of Health today set out its plans for the NHS "university", which aims to educate 2 million NHS workers - from consultants to cleaners - when it is launched next autumn.
The NHSU will begin life as a corporate institution, but in time the DoH wants it to achieve university status with degree awarding powers.
The ambitious plans for the institute, published in draft form today for consultation, range from NHS junior scholarships for teenagers in schools to clinical fellowships.
Initial basic programmes include an induction for all new NHS recruits, communication, literacy, numeracy and language skills and cleaning and infection control. More advanced programmes include management skills and foundation degrees in health and social care.
The NHSU is being developed with support from Learndirect, the Open University and the UK e-Universities initiative, which will help develop the distance learning aspects of the courses.
A central office, housing 80 staff, led by NHSU's chief executive and vice-chancellor designate Professor Bob Fryer, will be established just outside London, but the majority of work will be devolved to regional centres.
Professor Fryer said the NHS had to learn if it wanted to improve.
"These are ambitious aims, and we are aware that there are many major issues that need thorough debate if we are to get this right. That is why we are consulting: we are in listening mode, and our plans are not detailed as yet because we need the input of everyone who will be involved. We cannot possibly achieve all of this unless we work closely with leaders, managers and staff; with schools and colleges, and with all the other organisations which support and contribute to learning for health and social care," he said.
Wendy Piatt, senior research fellow for the Institute of Public Policy Research, which is hosting a debate today on the plans, said: "The objectives are clearly sound and the vision is inspiring. Education has a key role to play in making the NHS more patient-focused. But the vision must be underpinned by a coherent strategy as well as the co-operation of all stakeholders to achieve all these ambitions."
She added there were lingering concerns about the duplication of provision, and the diversion of resources away from the existing training provided by universities and further education colleges. She also insisted a full coherent strategy was implemented to avoid problems like those encountered with the government's individual learning accounts. "It is still very embryonic," she added.
The Department for Education and Skills will welcome most of the plans, which could go some way to widen participation and get 50% of 18 to 30-year-olds into some form of higher education. The NHSU wants to specifically target people who have missed out on higher education. NHS staff without degrees will be able to study for them part-time.
Professor Sir Martin Harris, chairman of Universities UK's health committee, said: "The NHS commitment to lifelong learning as evinced by the NHSU development plan is good news for the patients, as well as staff. We in universities look forward to working with the NHSU to meet this commitment and to support delivery of the NHS plan."
Full plans for NHSU, including budget, will be published in the spring.
