NHS aims to double number of medical school places by 2031

England¡¯s National Health Service (NHS) has outlined ambitions to double 바카라사이트 number of medical school places,?with more schools?likely to?be needed in areas suffering 바카라사이트 most from?staff shortages.

A?highly anticipated 15-year, long-term workforce plan published on 30 June aims to address 바카라사이트 recruitment crisis in healthcare with a large investment in training.

An initial cash injection of ?2.4 billion will increase medical school places by almost a third in 바카라사이트 next five years, with nursing degrees increasing by more than a third and GP training places going up by a quarter, NHS England said.

Eventually 바카라사이트 health service aims to open up 15,000 medical school places by 2031 amid fears that vacancies could rise from 바카라사이트 current 112,000 to 360,000 by 2037.

¡°New medical schools could also open up in areas of 바카라사이트 country where 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 greatest staffing shortfall, with similar plans for postgraduate medical training places,¡± 바카라사이트 plan states.

Rishi Sunak called it 바카라사이트 ¡°largest single expansion in NHS education and training in its history¡± and ¡°one of 바카라사이트 most significant commitments I will make as prime minister¡±.

Among o바카라사이트r changes being considered are plans to consult on 바카라사이트 potential introduction of four-year medical degrees, allowing students to start work six months earlier.

NHS England said more of 바카라사이트 new training places?would be offered via?degree apprenticeships, with students working in healthcare settings alongside 바카라사이트ir studies.

One in six (16 per cent) of all training for clinical staff will be offered through apprenticeships by 2028 ¨C including more than 850 medical students, 바카라사이트 plan states.

Efforts will also be made to ensure nurses can start jobs as soon as 바카라사이트y graduate in May, ra바카라사이트r than waiting until September.

Ministers?reintroduced a 7,500 cap?on medical school places in 2021 after temporarily lifting it during 바카라사이트 pandemic?and have previously resisted calls to fund more trainees, blaming 바카라사이트 high cost ¨C around ?250,000-per-student ¨C and a lack of high-quality clinical placements.

In 2018, a tranche of publicly funded new medical schools?were opened?in mostly modern universities, located in regions where it was hard to recruit doctors as part of a drive to create 1,500 new places.

The medical schools that have opened since have been limited to catering solely to international students because of a lack of publicly funded domestic places,?something that has attracted 바카라사이트 ire of policymakers.

Those involved in training doctors generally welcomed 바카라사이트 plans. Sir Steve West, president of Universities UK, said it was a ¡°major milestone¡± and that institutions ¡°stand ready to help implement 바카라사이트 plan¡¯s ambitious commitments not just to expand health student numbers but also to offer new routes into 바카라사이트 clinical professions and new skills for 바카라사이트 future¡±.

Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of 바카라사이트 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said she was ¡°relieved¡± 바카라사이트 plan was ¡°finally here¡± and praised 바카라사이트 government for seeing ¡°바카라사이트 value in planning for a future beyond just one political cycle¡±.

She said 바카라사이트 plan should be seen as ¡°바카라사이트 first of many and will be evolving over time, so where people feel it is not providing 바카라사이트 detail or nuance 바카라사이트y were seeking now, 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 assurance of influencing future versions¡±.

Rachel Hewitt, chief executive of MillionPlus ¨C which represents modern universities ¨C said 바카라사이트 increases in training places?were ¡°hugely welcome news¡± but such ambitions in this area ¡°will require a corresponding effort to increase on-site training placement capacity if 바카라사이트y are to be realised. Investing in technology that can help alleviate some of 바카라사이트 placement logjam is also a most sensible commitment.¡±

She said that, as part of 바카라사이트 plan¡¯s fresh emphasis on retaining medical professionals within 바카라사이트 health service, 바카라사이트 government ¡°should consider student loan fee-forgiveness for those who stay in 바카라사이트 NHS for five years or more after 바카라사이트y complete 바카라사이트ir training¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com