NHS STUDENT BURSARY v LOAN

Motion Text

That this House is aware of the mass petition currently gathering momentum opposed to Government plans to replace NHS bursaries with student loans; believes such a direction would be wrong and fundamentally unfair as unlike other students most student nurses spend half their time on unpaid clinical placements in hospitals and the community, have a longer academic year than other students, have little time to earn money, as well as their average ages being around 29 years, with many having their own children; notes the pay for registered nurses is far lower than other graduate professions making it unlikely they would ever earn sufficient wages to refund such borrowings; and calls on the Government in the interests of the nation's health to stop such a stupid and short-sighted route to nowhwere.