Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to increase the number of nursing degree places offered at universities in the UK.

In August 2017 the Government changed the funding system for pre-registration undergraduate nurse training. The funding reforms mean we have moved away from centrally imposed number controls and financial limitations, creating a sustainable model for universities and the healthcare workforce supply.

In order to meet the growing need to increase the future supply of registered nurses, additional clinical placement funding was announced by the Department in August and October 2017. This will enable around 5,000 more nursing students to enter training each year from September 2018; a historic 25% increase.