Bursaries for Student Nurses

Posted 23/06/2016

There are plans in place to scrap bursaries for student nurses and other NHS staff in England. Ministers plan to overhaul the system in September 2017 and charge those studying to be front-line health workers for their degrees. In a letter to the prime minister, more than 20 groups led by the Royal College of Nursing said it could put people off working for the NHS.

Currently student nurses, midwives and other staff such as physiotherapists are entitled to bursaries of £4,500 to £5,500 – on top of a grant of £1,000 each year during their training. The course fees are also covered. Those studying for advanced roles, such as district nurses, could also be affected.

The government has proposed scrapping bursaries and introducing university fees to bring health staff in line with other students. Ministers argue that the move will lead to an increase in nurse students – of about 10,000 – as applicants for courses currently outnumber the places available by two to one. This is because there is a cap on places.

A letter has been sent and signed by the BMA and the Patients Association, warning that their plans are an “untested gamble” and urged the government to halt the plans to properly consider their impact.

RCN general secretary Janet Davies said that as nurses spent about half of their degree course working in the NHS it amounted, in effect, to “asking people to pay to go to work”.

Figures released last month showed NHS trusts in England recorded their worst ever deficit in 2015-16 with an overspend of £2.45bn. Meanwhile, performance targets for A&E, ambulance services and cancer care are all being missed in England. Other parts of the UK are also struggling.

BMA leader Dr Mark Porter said a long-term plan was needed to address the “crisis” in the NHS. “People are increasingly concerned about the future of a health service that they know is under unsustainable pressure.”

Amanda Cavanagh, a medical injury specialist at Ashtons Legal, comments:

“Student Nurse Applicants go through a long and arduous screening process to bid for one of the very limited spaces which are currently available. Because of the shortfall of nurses the government retained a very limited bursary to encourage students to study nursing. What a good idea we say although at present the bursary barely cover the costs involved in training. But now in a mixed up way to “solve” the crisis of a shortfall in nursing staff the government have decided to remove the bursaries all together. Will this encourage and retain home grown student nurses? I am doubtful, if anything this move will deter future students and will exacerbate the current crisis in levels of staffing which in turn can lead to medical mistakes being made due to pressures on the system”.