The Government has announced that thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds will benefit from a comprehensive package to break down long‑standing barriers into healthcare careers, as part of its 10-Year Health Plan.
Careers in the medical profession, particularly doctors and healthcare specialists are often out of reach for many because schools and families – particularly in disadvantaged communities – often lack the knowledge needed to guide students towards medicine, or to encourage biology, chemistry, physics early enough, which are essential stepping stones into medicine.
Data shows that one third of schools have never had a pupil apply to medical schools, and around half have never had a student accepted. Therefore, the government is introducing a series of measure to help people from the poorest areas of the country start a career that could see them become a top surgeon or nurse.
To tackle break down barriers into medicine, 2,000 young people from England’s most deprived areas will be supported to apply to university through government-funded medicine access courses over the next three years. Support includes giving young people access to summer schools or placements within the NHS, where they can increase their knowledge and skills, boosting their university applications.
Backed by a £65.4 million, the government has unlocked 2,000 additional nursing apprenticeships, concentrated in areas facing the greatest training shortages and highest levels of deprivation. These earn‑while‑you‑learn opportunities will help people build skilled, well‑paid careers without needing to leave their communities or take on upfront costs.
Opportunities will be targeted to areas where nursing shortages have the biggest impact on local healthcare services.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said: "Talent is everywhere in our country, but opportunity isn’t. I don’t want the NHS denied the talents and potential of the doctors, nurses and staff of the future, simply because they are never given a chance.
"Having grown up in poverty on a council estate, getting into Cambridge University changed my life. With the most working class cabinet in history, this government is determined to change the odds for young people today. We’re determined to break the class ceiling in the NHS so that our professions are elite, not elitist. My message to the best and brightest young kids who want to a future caring for their country in the National Health Service is – go for it.
"By backing people from every background to train and work in the NHS, this will benefit patients, the NHS, and students."
Talented students from under-represented backgrounds will be able to apply to courses from spring next year, working with NHS England and partners like the Sutton Trust, Social Mobility Foundation and Medical Schools Council.
It will expand on the success of existing partnerships funded by NHS England that have resulted in around 75% of students applying going on to study medicine or related degrees
The government will also expand or reallocate medical school places so that areas with poorer health outcomes or ageing populations train more doctors locally, alongside a pledge to increase by 50% the proportion of students who received free school meals being accepted into medical school in England by 2035.
To support doctors from disadvantaged backgrounds who face higher relocation costs, the government will also trial a three-year pilot programme that will see Resident Doctors stay in one place for longer, easing the financial burden and disruption to family life.
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: "Apprenticeships open up nursing careers to people with the skills, commitment, and compassion to care for patients, who may not have otherwise come forward for a career in the NHS. Investing in apprenticeships in this way will help us build the skilled nursing workforce the NHS needs, while supporting social mobility."
Responding to the announcement, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger, said: “This announcement can help further widen access to nursing, which is a wonderful career and shouldn’t be out of reach for anyone. However, the biggest barrier to those from poorer backgrounds isn’t necessarily a lack of apprenticeships but a broken tuition fee model. The traditional university route is the main supply of new nurses into health and care but students face huge debt, while inadequate financial support during their studies pushes them further into poverty. Apprenticeships have a role to play in widening participation, but they aren’t the total solution to a deeper crisis in nurse education which is causing applications to collapse.
"There are workforce shortages everywhere, which is why we’d have liked to see more ambition from government. That would have meant new apprenticeship roles being added across the entire NHS in England, not a relatively small number in only the areas struggling most. We now need more funding for the additional costs of training an apprentice, including for rota cover while they attend the university part of their training, so employers can keep up financially.
“If ministers want to transform care and meet growing patient demand, then the upcoming ten year workforce plan must focus on establishing a robust and sustainable domestic pipeline of new nurses. This includes changes to the apprenticeship levy to ensure it covers all costs, but crucially major reforms to nurse higher education, including the introduction of a tuition fee loan forgiveness model for those who commit to working in public services.”
