More than half of all health students are considering quitting their studies
due to debt, with almost a quarter owing over £10,000, a report (*) published
by UNISON revealed today (16 September). The union is calling for a review of
health student funding to avoid a recruitment and retention crisis.
Commenting on the survey, UNISON Head of Nursing, Gail Adams, said:
ÒThis survey has very worrying implications for the future health of the NHS.
Students are simply not getting enough financial support. With one third of
nurses due to retire in the next 10 years, and the number of health
professionals coming from overseas to work in the UK falling, urgent action is
needed to avoid a serious skills shortage.
ÒWe are calling on the government to comprehensively review to the current
bursary system, including considering a return to paying health students a
salary. We also need to see increased help for mature students with children,
and ethnic minorities, who this survey shows are facing increased financial
pressures.Ó
A summary of the findings includes:
50% of students considered leaving their course due to financial difficulties,
an increase of 7% since last year.
Nursing diploma students are starting their careers owing an average of 40%
of their annual salary. If they paid back £100 per month it would take them
almost seven years to fully repay the debt, even before interest is taken into
account.
Financial pressure on black and ethnic minority students is more severe with
74% considering leaving.
90% of health students are in debt, and average debt is £6,934. This is a
177% increase since 2003. 23% of students have debts of over £10,000.
Of the two thirds of students who receive a bursary for their course Ð 70%
have to take up paid employment to supplement their income.
92% of survey respondents believe that health students should be paid a
salary.
The proportion of students who were confident or fairly confident of getting a
job at the end of their studies has increased to 65% from 55% in 2007.
*ÒReaching Breaking Point Ð UNISON National Survey of Health StudentsÓ.
