THE University of Teesside and its partners in the NHS are pioneering new courses to help meet the challenges facing those in areas allied to medicine.

Meeting the Challenge is a series of programmes offered by the university's School of Health and Social Care.

The courses have the support of the professional bodies, local health employers and the Workforce Development Confederation and will run for the next five years.

Paul Keane, director of the school of health, said: "Teesside's good reputation for its nursing and professions, allied to medicine courses, played a key role in the university being selected for the initiative.

"The Meeting the Challenge initiative will help to ensure our students are not just able to gain their qualifications, but that they are also fully-equipped for their future challenging roles in the health service and meet the requirements of the professional bodies.

"The new courses all support the School of Health and Social Care's mission of promoting evidence-based practice and will help to put Teesside at the leading edge of developments in teaching the allied health professionals of the future."

Also planned are new two-year foundation degrees. The courses are being developed with employers and local further education colleges and will specialise in early years, health care sciences and health and social care.