There will be a 10% rise in pre-registration training places for nurses in Wales in 2016/17, the Welsh Government has announced.
An £85 million investment into training will see nurse training places rise by 135 to 1418, an increase of 10%, on top of the 22% increase in 2015-16. The investment will also see the number of training places for health visitors in Wales rise from 66 to 71.
'Highly-trained staff are the heart of the Welsh NHS – this £85m investment will go towards developing the next generation who will provide healthcare to the nation,’ said Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford. ‘This includes the highest level of nurse training places since devolution and extra training places in key professional areas, including diagnostic radiography and physiotherapy.’
The package of funding will enable 2697 new students to undertake education and training programmes in 2016-17 compared to 2498 in 2015-16. Including those who will be continuing their education, this means the total number of students and training places for 2016-17 is 7384 compared to 6881 in 2015-16.
‘This investment is based on what NHS organisations have told us they need to maintain services’ added Mr Drakeford. ‘Despite the financial pressures faced during in recent years we have continued to invest in education and training for health professionals in Wales. This year is no exception.’