Federal Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash officially opened the $4.5 million facility on Friday, something she said goes towards dealing with the inequity of healthcare from the city to the country.

“There is no quick fix,” the Nationals’ senator said. “But there has been improvement.

“People in the community like to see contributions especially when it comes to health.”

The government funding was contributed as part of the rural education and infrastructure development fund, while the University of New England chipped in $2 million.

Rural medicine and allied health students from the university will be able to use the clinical space, including simulation labs, tutorial rooms and general practice consultation rooms to help hone their craft.

Ms Nash said while the clinical school improved public health services, it also provided a state-of-the-art space for medical students to practice in a regional area.

“The data and evidence shows students who train in the regions stay in the regions,” Ms Nash said.

New England MP Barnaby Joyce said the school was a step in building Armidale as a centre of excellence, with the “security of health being the greatest gift [for] the community”.

He said there would be ongoing investment in the region but still couldn’t promise any money for the hospital. 

The federal government was intially expected to contribute $50 million, however, as part of what it has described as the budget emergency no funding was forthcoming.

Revised project costings are expected from the state government late next month.

Meanwhile, university vice-chancellor Annabelle Duncan said the health disparity between the metropolitan areas and regional towns will begin to be reduced as the university expects more students to apply to study medicine because of the new school.