RCN calls for emergency funding for nursing students in England in next Government’s first budget
Whichever party forms the next Government after 12th December must announce an emergency funding package in its first Budget to help to attract more students to nursing degrees in England next September. But there’s only a five week window to do so after polling day before the deadline to apply for nursing courses starting next September.
That’s the warning today from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in a letter sent to all party leaders.
Figures last week showed that applications to study nursing in England have dropped 25 per cent, or 13,000, since the bursary for nursing students’ tuition fees and living costs was removed in 2016.
There are currently 43,500 vacant nursing posts in the NHS in England alone – the College points out in its letter to leaders that the crisis in staffing cannot be resolved without reversing the decline in the numbers taking nursing degrees.
However, the RCN tells party leaders that on 15th January, five weeks after polling day, UCAS, the university admissions service, will close the first round of applications for courses starting in September 2020.
The College’s Chief Executive, Dame Donna Kinnair, argues in the letter that all the parties’ pledges to increase the number of registered nurses will be best served by immediately attracting more students to begin their education within the next 12 months.
The letter points out:
“Reforms to the funding model in England of nursing higher education have failed to generate growth in student numbers. This imminent deadline offers a clear opportunity to change the status quo.
"In England, Government investment must be at least £1bn annually into financial support for nursing students, including living cost and tuition. Pledges to increase the number of registered nurses are best served by seizing this window to immediately attract more students to begin their education”.
Dame Donna concludes her letter to the leaders,
“Any new government must take decisive action within the first five weeks have a fighting chance of beginning to end nursing shortages across the UK”.
Ends
Notes to editors
The letter has been sent to the Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Change UK.
