Ensure healthcare students are paid for their placement hours

Background

The Government should require students studying healthcare degrees which require placement hours should be paid at least the same minimum wage as apprentices.

Additional details

Fewer and fewer students are applying to study for healthcare degrees. A popular reason for the decline is due to the country's current cost of living. Placements usually require students to work 37.5 hours a week unpaid, making them unable to have time to work alongside this and therefore unable to afford to live. Some have no choice but to work, leading to burnout and leaving the course before qualifying.