The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced increased financial support for students on nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, medical and dental courses in England.Eligible students will be able to claim 50% more for travel and accommodation expenses to get to clinical placements. More students from low-income families will also be given financial help, with the means-tested threshold for the NHS bursary scheme being raised from £24,279 to £26,076.
RCN Deputy Director of Nursing Dr Nichola Ashby said: "We’ve been campaigning on this and it is an important step in improving nursing students' ability to afford to fulfil their placements, but more radical changes are needed to address the shortage of nursing students.
"There is a worrying bigger picture: nursing students accepted onto degree courses this month are down 13%. The UK government must remove the burden of student debt and tuition fees from prospective nurses, and better pay those in the profession. These changes must be made if the NHS workforce plan is to deliver the nursing staff needed for the NHS and social care.
“Far more work needs to be done to make nursing attractive to the next generation. The nurses of tomorrow are still being put off by the prospect of eye-watering student debt, low pay, and intolerable working conditions.”
The changes will come into effect today, in time for the 2023 to 2024 academic year. Read the full press release from DHSC.
