I recently met with the University of Derby’s Nursing department to discuss some of the systemic challenges they are facing around graduate unemployment and the Higher Education sector funding squeeze.
Due to years of underfunding and austerity cuts by the previous Conservative government, the NHS hasn’t had sufficient resources to cover frontline care and training. This has led to health staff having increased workloads, balancing mentorship and administrative roles on top of their vital healthcare work.
Austerity has also impacted our Higher Education sector, which has created a long-term funding squeeze. Across the country, many of our finest institutions are cutting staff and budgets to make ends meet.
The Nursing Department – staff and students – told me how nursing and health education degrees have been disproportionately affected. The loss of these experienced educators – many of whom cannot be easily replaced – will directly result in reduced student numbers, placement capacity, and educational quality.
Since being elected, the Labour government has taken action to reverse Tory austerity. It has increased the day-to-day NHS budget by £29 billion in real terms and has released its 10-year Health Plan which has mapped out how we are going to rebuild the NHS for the 21st Century.
I will act on the issues raised with me, and continue to work with the Labour government to ensure that we secure our pipeline for training our next generation of nurses – they are vital in our plans to improve the NHS.