The BSC’s role in relation to the NRC has been continuous. After acquiring the estate, designing the 2 facilities in parallel, and obtaining planning permission, it built the DMRC. However, in the NRC case the construction task and costs fall to the NHS. Nevertheless, the BSC’s charitable giving extends to the NRC in a variety of ways including free provision of the land where it is being built, the initial designs and planning permission and charging only a peppercorn rent during the 65-year lease. And since 2016 to completion in 2026 it has undertaken ‘enabling activity’ in many realms. That year, it established the National Workstream Steering Group which triggered the start of the NRC Programme in 2019. It has included the funding to train the new rehab workforce required to allow the NRC to take its first patients and to set up a virtual Training Academy to ensure workforces for the ‘spokes’ will be feasible.
When the NRC treats its first patients in 2026, it will signal the start of the final Stage 3 in the fulfilment of the overall DNRC Programme as the concept from the outset in 2010 was that the NRC would be established as the national ‘hub’ leading in due course to clinical rehab ‘spokes’ across the country. At the same time it will bring sharing expertise and facilities to the fore which was always a significant element of the DNRC concept. An MOU between the NHS and the MoD is already in place to that effect.
Post the NRC becoming operational, it is intended that the BSC will remain engaged with the NRC Board – as the Grosvenor family and the BSC trustees share the view that the establishment of the NRC in 2025 and the subsequent development of the first ‘hub’ in, say, 2030 will represent the true legacy that the 6th Duke set out to achieve.
Development of 'hub and spoke' will be pursued in 2026 and will chime well with the increasing Governmental emphasis on returning people to work - the NRC is highly relevant in the context of the recent 'Keep Britain Working' review by Sir Charlie Mayfield.
More information on the NRC is available here.