Healthcare Higher Education Funding 2020-11-23

2020-11-23

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Lilian Greenwood Lab
Nottingham South
Context
The question concerns recent assessments on reforming the funding for healthcare professional education in England. There are ongoing discussions about supporting students appropriately.
What recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of reforming the funding of healthcare higher education in England?
The Government keep the funding arrangements for the education of all pre-registration undergraduate and postgraduate NHS health professions under close review to ensure that students are appropriately supported. Most NHS professional student placements are funded by the education and training tariff, and the allocation of funding is reviewed and published annually.
Assessment & feedback
Did not address any specific assessment or reform plan for healthcare higher education funding.
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Lilian Greenwood Lab
Nottingham South
Context
Student nurses and midwives who stepped up during the first wave of the pandemic face huge debts due to bursaries being abolished in 2016. The question addresses their contributions and financial burdens.
Nursing and midwifery students are required to undertake 2,300 hours of clinical placement to qualify. Maintenance grants were reintroduced in England in September but those student nurses and midwives who just graduated or who are about to face huge debts because their bursaries were abolished in 2016. What will the Minister do to acknowledge their contribution and ensure they do not feel undervalued?
I echo the hon. Member's sentiment about the true value that nursing students and graduates have given this country during one of the hardest times we have faced. The Government are extremely grateful for all those students who opted into a paid clinical placement in the NHS during this extremely difficult time, and we have ensured that all those students were fairly rewarded for their hard work.
Assessment & feedback
Did not address any specific actions to acknowledge contributions or alleviate financial burdens beyond expressing gratitude and mentioning fair rewards for paid placements.
Response accuracy