Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of January 5 2022 to Question 90361, on Mental Health Services: Nurses, what steps he is taking to encourage people to study and qualify as mental health nurses.

Baroness Watkins of Tavistock is working with Health Education England on the future of mental health nursing, identifying ways to encourage people to enter the profession. We have introduced grants of at least £5,000 per academic year for eligible pre-registration nursing, midwifery and most allied health professions students on courses at English universities from September 2020. We have also announced an additional £1,000 a year to prioritise groups with shortages, including new students on courses for mental health and learning disability nursing. We are also developing the role of existing mental health nurses, including outlining career pathways and associated training opportunities.