Professor John Robertson OBA

From the Royal College of Nursing, yesterday:

An ‘explosion’ in nurse lecturer redundancies and severances shows the higher education financial crisis is spreading through nursing courses in England and posing a risk to domestic workforce plans, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warns today [15 May].

Ahead of the release of a new report into the nurse educator workforce in England, the College says the crisis is a real threat to the domestic supply of nurses into the workforce – just days after the government announced immigration plans which could lead to an exodus of international nursing staff – and poses a serious risk to patient safety.

Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent by the RCN to universities offering nursing courses in England revealed that nurse educator jobs decreased in 65% of institutions between August 2024 to February 2025.

https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/Press-Releases/nurse-lecturer-cuts-explode-as-domestic-workforce-plans-put-at-risk-new-report-shows

What would a Labour presence in government at Holyrood, say with Reform UK, put at risk here?

The Scotsman in February 2025 was front-paging Alarm over fresh drop in applicants for nurses course based on a 2% reduction in applications, from 4 650 to 4 560, six months before ‘clearing’ processes in the week and months before course start, can fill the missing places.

The ‘alarm’ is from a union rep and, evidence-free, the fall in applications is explained by poor working conditions, which in turn, is based upon a small sample, self-selecting (squeaky wheel) survey.

Not mentioned, of course, is how this level of nurse training compares with other parts of the UK.

So, if Scotland is training 4 560 how many might NHS England be expected to be training? At ten times the population, around 45 000?

It’s 26 330¹, not much over half the number you might expect they’d need.

Why is this?

From the British journal of Nursing in April 2024:

This UCAS data are more than just numbers; they reflect the changing dynamics in healthcare education and broader societal trends. The decrease in applications and acceptances could be attributed to various factors, including the intense pressures that health professionals have faced during the pandemic, which might deter potential applicants. The psychological and physical toll of the pandemic on healthcare workers has been widely publicised, possibly influencing the decision-making of those considering the profession.²

What is the Scottish Government doing to encourage applications?

Only in Scotland:

The Scottish Government will pay your tuition fees. Graduates may need to check if the government will pay their fees. The bursary is £10,000, which isn’t means-tested. Funding covers the whole year (52 weeks). If you’re studying an honours degree, you’ll get 75% of the bursary in your fourth year. The bursary includes £5 for daily travel but you can claim for placement expenses above this. You’re expected to use the cheapest public transport. (In Scotland, bus travel is free for Scottish residents under 22 years old). If costs are more than £30 per day, you should stay in local accommodation if possible. In your first year, there’s also a £60 initial expenses allowance.

Additional allowances include: Dependents Allowances – if you have a partner or spouse with a low income; Single Parents’ Allowance; Childcare Allowance – for registered childcare costs; Disabled Students’ Allowance. A discretionary fund is available for students in severe financial hardship.³

Sources:

1. https://www.britishjournalofnursing.com/content/regulars/trends-in-nursing-applications#:~:text=Some%2026%20330%20applicants%20were%20accepted%20onto%20undergraduate,landscape%20and%20perhaps%20a%20higher%20calibre%20of%20applicants.
2. https://www.britishjournalofnursing.com/content/regulars/trends-in-nursing-applications#:~:text=Some%2026%20330%20applicants%20were%20accepted%20onto%20undergraduate,landscape%20and%20perhaps%20a%20higher%20calibre%20of%20applicants.
3. https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/finance/nhs-bursary#ParamedicNursingandMidwiferyStudentBursaryinScotland