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Consultation Launched on Future Funding For Healthcare Students

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 11 September 2009

A consultation seeking views on how students studying to be nurses, midwives and doctors should be funded in their studies was launched by Health Minister Ann Keen today.

The consultation forms part of the NHS Student Support Review and will primarily seek views as to the best option for resolving the discrepancy of support available to degree and diploma students.

Currently the NHS offers bursaries to healthcare students studying diplomas and degree level courses. However, the current system provides an incentive for students to opt for a diploma over a degree because they can receive additional funding, which is not mean-tested.

As the Nursing and Midwifery Council has indicated that the minimum qualification for new entry into the profession will, in the near future, be changed to a degree; the Department of Health is keen to ensure that the system will adequately support those students throughout their studies.

The consultation will also seek views on how we can provide better information to students in the future and on ways to develop a mechanism to consider any professions that could be included in the NHS Bursary Scheme.

Ann Keen, Health Minister said:

“It is very important that we have the necessary debate on student funding that this consultation will provide.

“Only a high quality workforce can deliver high quality care and we need to act now to ensure that future financial support for healthcare students does not produce any barriers to attracting and retaining sufficient, high quality applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds.

“We strongly encourage those who are interested in this issue to register their views.”

All responses need to be submitted by the 11 th December. A final recommendation will be announced in early 2010.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The consultation will run for 12 weeks from 15th September -11 th December. It includes five potential options for consideration:

Retain the current schemeProvide a means-tested bursary and a non-means-tested loan for all studentsProvide a non-means-tested bursary for all studentsMove NHS-funded students to the same support arrangements as all other students in higher educationEmploy all students whilst they are studying.

2. Respondents will also be asked to consider some wider issues:

whether medical and dental students from the lowest socio-economic groups should be included within the bursary scheme for their entire degreewhat the mechanism should be for adding new professions to the schemewhether different levels of support should be provided to students dependent on where they live whilst they study, andhow the provision of financial information to students can be improved.

3. Those interested in taking part in the consultation can download the consultation and the response form from: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/index.htm

and either respond by email: bursaryconsultation@dh.gsi.gov.uk or by post: Department of Health, Room 2N22, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE

4. Two national listening events will also be arranged for students to debate the consultation options. Selected students will be invited to participate. These will take place in:

· London on the 27 th October (location TBC)

· Leeds on the 4 th November (location TBC)

The NHS Bursary scheme applies to the following students:

Dental Hygienist

Dental Therapist

Nurse

Midwife

Operating Department Practitioner

Audiologist

Medical student (undergraduate students in years 5 and 6 and graduate students in years 2 to 4)

Dental student (undergraduate students in years 5 and 6 and graduate students in years 2 to 4)

The following Allied Health Professionals are also included in the NHS Bursary Scheme:

Chiropodist (including podiatrist)

Dietitian

Occupational therapist

Orthoptist

Physiotherapist

Prosthetist and Orthotist

Radiographer

Speech and Language Therapist

Contacts:

Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk