The Newcastle Surgical Training Centre (NSTC), opened in September 2007 and is based at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, is a unique, state of the art facility providing advanced cadaveric education to the medical profession. It has already developed a national and international reputation, providing a specialist forum for endoscopic skills and is part of the national drive to improve the delivery and safety of surgical care and development of new near-patient technology. This centre is one of the very first anatomical examination units of its kind in the UK to carry a formal licence from the Human Tissue Authority enabling some of our leading surgeons to deliver cadaveric training in a unique and extremely high specification "wet lab" environment.

The NSTC was conceived by and is under the co-directorship of two consultant surgeons Professor A Horgan and Professor D Deehan. The unit brings together a focus for the dissemination of surgical skills harnessing the expertise of a number of endoscopic and open surgical teams within Newcastle Hospitals. Collaboration with national and international faculty colleagues drives greater understanding of surgical techniques delivering improved patient care.

The Human tissue Act 2004 received Royal Assent in November 2004. the act sets out standards and provides guidance to clinicians carrying out education and training using human cadaveric materials. The NSTC is licensed under the Human Tissue Authority (HTA)