Two Kent universities have today submitted a joint bid for government cash to fund medical student places in the county for the first time.

The ambitious application - which will provide 100 degree places - is a cornerstone in the plans of Canterbury Christ Church and the University of Kent to establish a Kent and Medway Medical School.

It is hoped such a facility will address significant challenges in developing and retaining clinical staff across the region.

If the bid is successful, the medical school could host its first students by 2020, although no site has yet been earmarked for the development.

Christ Church vice-chancellor Professor Rama Thirunamachandran and his counterpart at UKC, Professor Karen Cox, said in a joint statement today: “We would like to thank all those who have worked with us to develop this highly ambitious and innovative bid, developed in partnership with the Kent & Medway NHS Trusts.

“If it succeeds, it will kickstart the process of transforming medical provision in the region.”

The bid has received significant support from the region’s MPs, local councillors, NHS trust chief executives and medical directors, as well as other health and education-related organisations.

It comes as the government is committed to fund an additional 1,500 medical places by 2020, but will be the subject of a highly competitive process. The outcome will be announced in March next year.