In a bid to bolster healthcare training and alleviate financial burdens on students pursuing careers in healthcare, the government has announced a substantial 50% increase in travel and accommodation support for eligible students. This significant uplift aims to ensure that healthcare students are adequately reimbursed for expenses incurred during their clinical placements and other related educational activities.
This development comes in the wake of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which lays out ambitious plans for the expansion of education and training opportunities within the healthcare sector. Students pursuing courses in nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, medicine, and dentistry will be the beneficiaries of these enhanced financial provisions.
Under the newly announced measures, eligible students can now claim 50% more for travel and accommodation expenses associated with their training, including clinical placements at hospitals. For example, a student traveling 1,000 miles by car or motorcycle during their placement will receive £420, up from the previous rate of £280.
Additionally, the government has increased the means testing threshold for the NHS Bursary Scheme. This adjustment raises the income limit that a student’s parent or partner can earn before becoming eligible for financial support, from £24,279 to £26,076.
Minister of State for Health, Will Quince, emphasized the government’s commitment to diversifying the healthcare workforce, stating, “Working in the NHS is incredibly rewarding, and we want to ensure a diverse range of students can pursue a career in nursing, midwifery, or medicine.” He further underscored the importance of appropriately reimbursing students for the costs associated with clinical placements and increasing means-tested and childcare support for medical students.
These enhancements complement existing support mechanisms, including a non-repayable training grant of £5,000 per academic year for eligible nursing, midwifery, and allied health professional students. Up to £3,000 is also available for childcare support and for students studying certain specialized fields, such as radiography or mental health nursing.
The changes are set to take effect immediately, just in time for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.
Key highlights of the 50% increase in travel and accommodation costs include:
1. Travel on the student’s pedal cycle: An increase from the current rate of 20p to 30p per mile, covering general maintenance and wear and tear.
2. Travel in or on the student’s motor vehicle: An increase from the current rate of 28p to 42p per mile.
3. Commercial accommodation, such as hotels or bed and breakfasts: An increase from the current rate of £55 to up to £82.50 per night.
4. Non-commercial accommodation, including staying with a friend or relative (but not parents): An increase from the current rate of £25 to up to £37.50 per night.
Furthermore, changes to the NHS Bursary Scheme for medical students encompass:
1. An uplift in the means-testing threshold to £26,076 from £24,279, allowing for increased means-tested funding to support medical students.
2. An alignment of childcare allowance with rates provided by the Department for Education for earlier years of study, enabling medical students to claim more support for childcare costs when needed.
The NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) and NHS Bursary Scheme provide crucial non-taxable and non-repayable funding to eligible students pursuing pre-registration healthcare courses in nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, medicine, and dentistry. It is noteworthy that the rates for NHS Bursary travel and dual accommodation have remained unchanged since 2015, while LSF rates have remained static since its inception in 2017.
The NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, supported by substantial funding exceeding £2.4 billion over the next five years, aims to expand healthcare staff training and retain dedicated professionals to reduce waiting lists, a top government priority. It also encompasses transformative changes in healthcare practices, leveraging the latest technological innovations.
As part of this comprehensive plan, undergraduate medical school training places will double to 15,000 per year by 2031, with an emphasis on addressing shortages in areas with the greatest need to reduce health disparities. Collaborative efforts with the General Medical Council will lead to the creation of new medical schools.
Additionally, adult nursing and midwifery training places will nearly double, accommodating over 24,000 additional students annually. The NHS will also increase the number of apprenticeships, providing opportunities for students to earn while they learn, thereby expanding the pool of clinical staff trained through apprenticeship routes to nearly 20% by 2030, up from the current 7%. By 2036 to 2037, up to 2,000 individuals per year will achieve university medical degrees through apprenticeships.
