This article was taken from: http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2018-04-23/nhs-bursary-for-student-nurses-and-midwives-will-continue-in-wales/
Student nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, (including those who rehabilitate people with disabilities or special needs) will still be able to apply for bursaries in Wales if they are starting their studies in September 2019.
The incoming students must commit to working in Wales for up to two years after gaining their qualification to be eligible for a full NHS bursary.
The bursary was scrapped in England last year.
Only 3% of the 2,180 students who applied for the bursary in 2017/18 declined to work in Wales after their studies.
Health care students are the future of our NHS, which is why, unlike in England, we are continuing to support them during their studies in return for a commitment to work in Wales.
This sends a clear message about how much we value our health care workforce and sets out our commitment to the future of our NHS.
As well as a commitment to extending the bursary, we’re investing record levels in our NHS workforce. Since 2014, the number of nurse training places commissioned has increased by 68%. We’re also taking positive action to attract more health professionals from the UK and beyond to come to Wales, to train, work and live.
– VAUGHAN GETHING AM, HEALTH SECRETARY
On behalf of all our members, many of whom are working in very difficult circumstances as the gap between the numbers of nurses being recruited to replace those who are leaving the profession widens – I am delighted that here in Wales something positive is being done to reverse that trend. This is very welcome news and the RCN in Wales forward to working with the Welsh Government in the future to further develop sustainable workforce planning that will ensure that patients get the quality of care that they deserve.
– TINA DONNELLY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING IN WALES
