Professor Ruth Goodridge, Director of the RehabHRC, has welcomed the opening of the NHS National Rehabilitation Centre as a significant milestone.

The official opening of the £107 million NHS National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) this month has been recognised as a major step towards the ambition of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Rehabilitation in assisting patients after life-altering injury, trauma and illness.

The NRC is a 70-bed purpose-built rehabilitation centre for NHS patients who have experienced a life-changing illness or injury, which will be run and staffed by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). It is located on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough.

The NIHR Rehab HRC is a key partner of the NRC, and its work will be integral to the NRC accessing innovative new technologies to help patients recover.

Professor Ruth Goodridge, Director of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Rehabilitation, said:

“The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Rehabilitation (RehabHRC) supports the development of new technologies that accelerate the patient's rehabilitation journey from health crisis back to 'normal life'.

“We are proud to be partners with the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), supporting them to enable their patients to recover faster and better after serious injury or illness. The opening of the NRC represents a significant milestone for the rehabilitation field, and a major leap forward in our RehabHRC aim of creating a healthier tomorrow through innovative technologies.”

The RehabHRC is funded by the UK government’s health and social care body, the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research, with a grant of £2.8 million over five years, which began in 2024.

This specialist centre brings together researchers, companies, charities, patients and public to develop technology which helps patients rehabilitate after life-changing injury, trauma and illness.

It is hosted by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) and based at NUH.