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Nurses pay back the state? The NHS already runs on our goodwill

Resounding rejection by nurses of MP’s suggestion healthcare professionals should refund the public purse if they take jobs in the independent sector
MP Sir Christopher Chope told Commons nurses should pay money back for their training if they leave the NHS

Resounding rejection by nurses of MP’s suggestion healthcare professionals should refund the public purse if they take jobs in the independent sector

MP Sir Christopher Chope told Commons nurses should pay money back for their training if they leave the NHS
Sir Christopher Chope speaking in the House of Commons

Nurses have reacted with anger and disbelief after an MP suggested newly qualified staff should be made to pay back part of the cost of their education if they do not pursue careers in the NHS.

Conservative MP for Christchurch Sir Christopher Chope told a House of Commons debate that nurses and doctors should ‘pay their dues’ if they decide to leave the NHS or work in the private sector when they graduate.

‘We’re already paying for our education, and clinical placements are unpaid’

But with university fees in England among the most expensive in the world, nurses on social media argued they were already paying over the odds to qualify, a process that includes 2,300 hours of unpaid clinical placement while they study.

Responding on social media, nurse Alex Fewings said: ‘Pay my dues??? I’m qualifying in August with £60k of debt.

‘I’ve rolled my sleeves up during COVID and worked hard to support nursing staff whilst on placement, not being paid for 60 weeks of full-time hours over 3 years. Nursing is a vocation and for that we are constantly penalised.’

Eve Ashall agreed, saying: ‘What dues does he think we’re getting exactly? I qualify next year with £45K of degree fees to pay back and have worked 2,300 hours for free over three years, never mind the non-existent childcare facilities to support 12.5hr shifts.’

Financial support for nursing students’ education

In 2017, Theresa May’s Conservative government abolished the £10,00 annual nursing bursary for undergraduates in England. Nursing students starting from September 2020 have been able to apply for a grant of £5,000 through the NHS student support fund.

But despite some help being available, many claim student loan system changes put potential applicants off a nursing career.

Andy Field suggested a different approach, tweeting: ‘This might be valid if there was a bursary scheme. However, a better scheme would be for the government to pay off 50% of the student loan after 5 year’s service and 100% after 10 year’s service. That would be a tangible incentive without being punitive.’

One nurse suggested that when applying Sir Christopher’s logic, the UK’s active recruitment of international nurses should lead to reimbursement to their countries’ healthcare systems.

He said: ‘Does the honourable MP also think that the NHS should pay back the governments from where nurses are recruited – India, Philippines, Zimbabwe, South Africa? These nurses have been trained by these governments to work there, not in Great Britain.’

Deterrent to potential nursing degree applicants

Unison said any ‘pay-back’ system would deter people signing up for nursing courses.

‘The government should try harder to fix the pay issue. Then nurses wouldn't be forced to leave in search of better-paid, less stressful work,’ said the union’s head of health Sara Gorton.

‘Proper funding for apprenticeships in nursing would reap huge dividends, as those qualifying through this earn-while-you-learn route are much more likely to stay in the NHS.’


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