We call on the Government to reinstate fully funded tuition and maintenance bursaries for nursing and midwifery students. We believe this would reduce the burden on trainees, stop nurses paying to work, and cut NHS reliance on overseas staff by investing in homegrown talent.

The removal of NHS bursaries in 2017 meant many nurses and midwives had to pay more for their own training. We think this drove many away from vital roles and has left the NHS with over 25,000 vacancies within the Registered Nursing Staff group in England. We think restoring full bursaries would help ensure a strong, homegrown workforce, help make training affordable, help reduce the NHS’s dependence on international recruitment, and alleviate pressure on other countries' healthcare systems.