THE VICE Chancellor of the University of Worcester has welcomed the Government’s plan to fund Health Trusts to provide 1,500 additional placements for nurses and midwives with immediate effect.
Professor David Green has consistently campaigned for more nursing and midwifery places across the country, and praised the decision last Wednesday that will see funding made available for universities to create a number of additional clinical placements across a range of health professions.
Earlier this year, the cap on the number of nursing and midwifery students which universities could recruit was lifted when the bursary was replaced with the introduction of student loans for those subjects.
However, universities were unable to increase places without increasing the placements, which are essential for the students to be able to work the 2,100 hours in practise – a crucial part of their qualification.
“I’m delighted the Government has now set out its plans to fund more clinical placements for subjects including nursing and midwifery. It has been a long time coming,” said Prof Green.
“The Government officially confirmed 10,000 extra places in January, but only committed to funding the extra placements in August.
“Now that we have this welcome news of the extra 1,500 places in England from this September, we look forward to having our biggest cohort of new nursing and midwifery students starting.
“On the first day of clearing we were able to offer 50 interviews to prospective students with first rate qualifications, who had heard we now have places and hope to be selected,” he added.
