Nursing student cut 'sensible'

Jan 26 2012

Reducing the number of student nurses and midwives is the "sensible way forward", Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The Scottish Government will fund 2,430 places for students who are beginning degree courses in 2012-13 - down from 2,700 last year.

Ms Sturgeon said there was a "record number" of student nurses already in courses. She added that having looked at the workforce plans of health boards "a reduction in intake for the 2012 academic year is a sensible way forward".

The number of student nurses and midwives in training has reached an all-time high of 10,384. Ms Sturgeon said: "The intake sets a balance between ensuring the right number of nurses and midwives for the future while also minimising the risk of oversupply and graduate unemployment."

The reduction in training places is broadly in line with that in other parts of the UK, according to the Scottish Government.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The NHS is changing - balance of care is shifting towards community settings and hospital stays are becoming shorter. The shape and size of the workforce reflects that transition and it is only right that student intake must reflect this."

An internship scheme guarantees student nurses and midwives a one-year placement within the NHS in Scotland and the Health Secretary said any savings would "help us support the internship scheme".

However, Theresa Fyffe, director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, insisted the reduction in training places was "not sustainable" and could impact on patient care.

She said: "Last year we agreed, reluctantly, to a 12% cut in numbers for 2011-12, but all the evidence we've gathered shows that this further cut in numbers in 2012-13 risks there not being enough professionally-qualified nurses graduating to meet the demand for health services in the future, and that this cut will be bad for patient care.

"The RCN will not be put in the position of agreeing to a cut in student nurse numbers now, which in three to four years' time will mean there are not enough professionally-qualified nurses to provide safe quality care for patients. That's why we oppose this further cut to nursing student intake numbers."