Supporting our future NHS workforce: a consultation on the NHS Bursary Scheme

2. 2 Background to the NHS Bursary Scheme in England �518m spent in 2007/08 on bursaries, allowances and loans: �363m on bursaries (to degree and diploma students) �88m on allowances (to degree and diploma students) �67m on loans (to degree students) 90,000 students awarded funding in 2007/08: 57,000 nursing students 4,000 midwifery students 11,000 medical and dental students 18,000 students in some of the allied health professions and other students

3. 3 Optional slideBackground to the NHS Bursary Scheme � breakdown of the 18,000 AHP and other students 18,000 allied health professional and other students comprised of: 500 audiology 1,000 chiropody / podiatry 500 dental hygiene and therapy 1,000 dietetics 4,000 occupational therapy 1,500 operating department practice < 500 orthoptics 5,000 physiotherapy < 500 prosthetic and orthotics 3,000 radiography 2,000 speech and language therapy

4. 4 The current arrangements for healthcare students Diploma students are entitled to: A non means tested NHS bursary Additional allowances to take account of their personal circumstances Degree students are entitled to: A means tested NHS bursary A loan from the Student Loans Company Additional means tested bursary for extra weeks they are required to attend university, over 30 weeks Additional allowances to take account of their personal circumstances

5. 5 The review of the NHS Bursary Scheme Announced June 2008 in �A High Quality Workforce: NHS Next Stage Review� Commitment to review the anomaly between diploma and degree nurses Opportunity to consider other changes to improve the scheme Consider the impact of the move of nursing programmes to degree level Led by key stakeholders on a Steering Group with representation from: Trade unions (UNISON, RCN, BMA, RCM, Society of Radiographers and NUS) Higher Education NHS Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Used evaluation criteria to assess options Commissioned new research and considered the available evidence

6. 6 The scope of the review

7. 7 Evaluation criteria It has been agreed that the proposed scheme should aim to meet the following criteria ��

8. 8 The options There are five main options: Option 1 � retain the current scheme Option 2 � provide a means tested bursary and a non-means tested loan to all students Option 3 � provide a non-means tested bursary to all students Option 4 � move to same scheme as other students (e.g. those taking a degree in Economics) Option 5 � employ all students on the minimum wage And the options have been further broken down and split into two groups: Group 1 (chapter 6) � options that could be implemented within the current bursary budget Group 2 (chapter 7) � options that would require additional funding

9. 9 The questions The consultation asks you to consider:

10. 10 The options � Group 1, Chapter 6(can be implemented within the existing budget) Option 1 � retaining the current scheme Diploma students would continue to be eligible for a non-means tested bursary, and degree students for a means tested bursary

11. 11 The options � Group 1, Chapter 6(can be implemented within the existing budget) Option 2 � providing a means tested bursary and a non-means tested loan Option 2a � the loan would be set at the current rate for NHS funded students and the balance of the funding would be used to provide a means tested bursary Option 2b � the loan would be set at the current rate for NHS funded students and a non-means tested bursary of �1,000 provided for all students. The remaining balance of the funding would be used to provide a means tested bursary. Option 2c � the loan would be set at the current rate for non-NHS funded students and the balance of funding would be used to provide a means tested bursary.

12. 12 Option 3 � providing a non-means tested bursary to all students Option 3a - All students would be eligible to a non-means tested bursary, the rate of which would be set on the basis of the funding available in the existing bursary budget The options � Group 1, Chapter 6(can be implemented within the existing budget)

13. 13 Group 1, The options so far � case studies

14. 14 Group 1, The options so far � case studies

15. 15 The options � Group 2, Chapter 7(would require additional funding) Option 2 � providing a means tested bursary and a non-means tested loan Option 2d � the loan would be set at the current rate for non-NHS funded students with a maximum means tested bursary to provide sufficient funding to bring student income up to a defined level � additional cost of �220m. Option 2e � the loan would be set at the current rate for NHS funded students with a maximum means tested bursary to provide sufficient funding to bring student income up to a defined level � additional cost of �240m.

16. 16 The options � Group 2, Chapter 7(would require additional funding) Option 3 � providing a non-means tested bursary to all students Option 3b � the bursary would be set at the current rate for diploma students � additional cost of �30m. Option 3c � the bursary would be set at a level sufficient to bring student income up to a defined level � additional cost of �340m.

17. 17 The options � Group 2, Chapter 7(would require additional funding) Option 4 � moving all students to the same scheme as other students (e.g. those taking a degree in Economics) All students would be treated in the same way as other students in higher education and be eligible for a means tested grant and loan which is partly means tested (28%) � additional cost of �260m.

18. 18 The options � Group2, Chapter 7(would require additional funding) Option 5 � employing all students on the minimum wage All students would be employed whilst they were studying and paid the minimum wage � additional cost of �840m (reduces to �780m if students under 21 are paid at a lower rate).

19. 19 The remaining options � Group 2 case studies

20. 20 The remaining options � Group 2 case studies

21. 21 Additional issues for consideration

22. 22 Optional slideIncluding medical and dental students from less well off backgrounds Current arrangements Eligible for an NHS bursary from year 5, or year 2 of the accelerated degree. In early years, eligible for support from the Student Loans Company and are required to pay their tuition fees Evidence Students from lower socio-economic classifications are under-represented in medicine and dentistry Medical and dental students tend to leave university with higher levels of debt than those reported for other students circa �20,000 Doctors in their first two years of employment are currently earning, on average, between �31,000 and �42,000 per year Proposal Students from lowest socio-economic classifications would be able to access the NHS bursary from their first year could reduce the amount of funding available to some students in these classifications but would significantly reduce the amount of debt for all students included and would pay their tuition fees Would initially save �2m - �3m per year but costs would rise to �4m - �9m per year within 9 years as the money received from students repaying loans declines

23. 23 Optional slideMechanism for adding new professions to the NHS Bursary Scheme A number of professions are not included within the scheme Propose a mechanism is established to assess whether new professions should be accepted Proposed that the assessment would normally consider: The problems of recruiting students to the profession or role The costs associated with including the students within the scheme The availability of support from other sources Whether there are any particular groups that are likely to be under-represented within the profession and whether financial reasons are a factor in this The need for a consistent national approach

24. 24 Optional slideDifferent levels of support depending on where students are studying and living In recognition of the different costs associated where students choose to live whilst they are studying, it is proposed that there are three different rates of NHS bursary support for both the maintenance award and the extra weeks� allowance. They are: Students living in London in rented accommodation or their own home (highest rate) Students living outside London in rented accommodation or their own home (higher rate) Students living with their parents (lowest rate)

25. 25 Optional slideProvision of financial information to students Need to improve the information for students so they are better informed about the support available and the rewards they can expect if they choose an NHS career Views are sought on: What the gaps are in the information currently provided? Who should provide the information? How and where should the information be made available?

26. 26 How to respond Read the full consultation document at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_105110 Complete the questionnaire that has been published alongside the consultation Return the questionnaire to bursaryconsultation@dh.gsi.gov.uk by 11 December