New consultation into healthcare student funding launched

The Department of Health has launched a new consultation to canvass opinions on planned changes to healthcare student degree funding.

The government is seeking to introduce changes to student funding for nurse, midwife and allied health professional degree places and is looking to gather views on the best way in which to implement them.

Under the existing system, two-thirds of people who apply to become a nurse are not accepted for training. The new proposals will create up to 10,000 more training places by 2020, allowing universities to accept more applicants.

The plans will also see student nurses, midwives and allied health professionals receive a 25 percent increase in the amount of financial support they can access while they study.

Efforts are to be made to ensure the benefits of these changes are felt as widely as possible, including potentially looking at opportunities for students who apply for nursing, midwifery and allied health professional training as a second degree to be eligible for a student loan.

Health minister Ben Gummer said: "It is vital that the changes are implemented in the right way, which is why I would encourage as many people as possible to contribute to the consultation."