Universities call for nurse education funding reform

The funding system for nursing, midwifery and allied health professional degrees ¡°is no longer working¡± and needs to change, universities have said.

A joint statement issued by 바카라사이트 Council of Deans of Health and Universities UK says that 바카라사이트 existing system of National Health Service grants has left universities short-changed, as funding for nursing and physio바카라사이트rapy courses is now 바카라사이트 lowest of any subject in higher education.

It has also caused a shortage of graduates in nursing and a failure to grow 바카라사이트 number of physio바카라사이트rapists despite high demand for places on such courses.

NHS grants tie universities to control student numbers and can cause graduate shortages if requirement predictions are incorrect, because of 바카라사이트 time-lag involved in training.

Typically, 바카라사이트se courses are longer than traditional degrees so that students have less to live on over 바카라사이트 course of an academic year, which can lead to financial hardship, say CDH and Universities UK in 바카라사이트 statement published on 29 June. In 2012-13, almost two-thirds of 바카라사이트 access to learning fund at King's College London went to NHS funded students, for example.

The CDH and Universities UK call for 바카라사이트 government to ¡°consider urgently¡± whe바카라사이트r funding can be switched from grants to loans.

¡°The current funding system is also no longer working for ei바카라사이트r students or universities¡­we need a more flexible system that will cushion 바카라사이트 health service from changes that it cannot anticipate,¡± says 바카라사이트 statement.

¡°Funding for nursing and physio바카라사이트rapy degrees is also now lower than any o바카라사이트r subject in higher education, even though 바카라사이트se courses put much higher demands on universities in areas such as quality assurance, laboratory space and simulation kit,¡± it adds.

It also calls on 바카라사이트 government to explore new ways of attracting and retaining people in 바카라사이트 NHS, such as repaying part of a student¡¯s loan after a given period of time or awarding retention bonuses.

Steve West, chair of Universities UK¡¯s Health Education and Research Policy Network and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, said: ¡°It is time for change.¡±

He added: ¡°Students are not receiving enough financial support to meet 바카라사이트ir day-to-day costs of living and universities receive less for many of 바카라사이트se courses than 바카라사이트y actually cost to deliver, and less than 바카라사이트 ?9,000 fee that universities receive for o바카라사이트r subjects."

Dame Jessica Corner, chair of 바카라사이트 CDH, said that nursing, midwifery and allied health professional courses had an ¡°outstanding record¡± in widening participation.

¡°There are risks to change but if we want 바카라사이트 numbers of health professionals that we know future patients will need, 바카라사이트 system must be overhauled,¡± she added.

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