According to the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), a record number of students have accepted places at university to study nursing and midwifery in England.
Figures have shown that this year, 30,185 acceptances across the two courses, an increase of 1.5% compared to last year.
The government will be investing additional funding into the NHS workforce. which will go towards training in some of the biggest undergraduate intakes of medical students and nurses.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid said: “It is fantastic to see so many people taking the first steps toward rewarding careers in nursing and midwifery, with record numbers accepting places to study for two years running.
“I have no doubt the efforts of healthcare staff during the pandemic have inspired a new generation, who will help secure the future of our health and care services.
“We are on track to deliver 50,000 more nurses by the end of this Parliament and we’re supporting all eligible nursing and midwifery students with £5,000 a year. I urge anyone who wants an enriching career in the NHS to apply next year.”
Last month, Midwives across the country took industrial action due to staff shortages and increased pressure placed on those within the profession.
Only three per cent of midwives who train, stay in the profession, with most either leaving soon after or not starting at all.
Training grants of at least £5,000 for nursing, midwifery and some other health courses were introduced by the government in September 2020, in an attempt to encourage more to join the profession.
Professor Mark Radford, Chief Nurse, Health Education England said: “Reaching 30,000 acceptances onto nursing courses is a major milestone and I’m delighted to see last year’s huge increase has been maintained.
“It has been another tough year for the NHS but we have continued to work extremely hard to attract a diverse range of people to this rewarding career.
“The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the vital contributions of our nurses and I am hugely proud of their commitment in these challenging times.”
