Posted 13 November 2019 - 11:00
Posted 13 November 2019 - 11:00
News
Children’s and learning disability nursing in Wales: no extra university places planned for next year
Failure to expand fields’ student cohorts at odds with government’s NHS vision, says RCN
Failure to expand fields’ student cohorts at odds with government’s NHS vision, says RCN
The number of student places for children’s and learning disability nursing in Wales will remain static next year despite expansion in other nursing fields.
RCN Wales director Helen Whyley expressed her disappointment at the Welsh government's announcement there would be no increase in commissioned places.
‘There are is a desperate need for more children’s nurses on neonatal wards and in the community,’ Ms Whyley said.
Learning disability nurse workforce and a national education programme for the NHS
‘Only last week the Welsh government announced plans to embed a comprehensive national education programme for learning disability across the NHS in Wales. If this is to be successful, more learning disability nurses are needed.’
A Welsh Government spokesperson countered that training places for children’s and learning disability nursing had gone up by 18.4% in the past five years.
In contrast to children’s and learning disability nursing places for next year, the number of adult nursing places commissioned will go up by 15%, from 1,216 to 1,400. Mental health nursing places will increase by 20%, from 134 to 161.
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