In response to the recently announced Post-16 education and skills white paper, Ed Hughes, CEO of the Council of Deans of Health has issued the following statement:

“Our members across further and higher education in England have long-anticipated this paper and the policies and signals it sends on the government’s priorities for post-16 education and skills. We welcome its publication and support its aims.

Representing universities and colleges  that educate and train the current and future health and care workforce, the Council backs the paper’s aims to address skills gaps and support economic growth in every region. Our courses lead to lifelong careers of public service, spreading opportunity to individuals and communities, in turn underpinning the health of the nation through their work.  Collaboration across the tertiary education system with local health and care employers is essential to identify and deliver the education and training opportunities necessary for our future health and care workforce, widen access and broaden opportunity. Our members already work closely in partnership with employers and the paper provides further impetus to this, aligning with the ambitions of the 10 Year Health Plan for England.

To fully realise government ambitions for skills and the 10 Year Health Plan for England, we would also encourage closer join-up at national and departmental level to maximise the opportunities for delivery.

Universities continue to face significant  financial challenges, so whilst the inflationary increase in tuition fees is a positive step it will not immediately address the sustainability issues for providers of  high-cost healthcare courses.  Whilst we are also supportive of moves to reintroduce some maintenance grants for eligible students,  paying for this via a levy on international student recruitment will further knock sector finances and limit capacity for both teaching and research. Similarly, whilst the indexing of student maintenance loans is welcome, the overall financial burden for students on healthcare programmes remains a significant barrier to entry and a potential cause of non-completion for many students. We will continue to work with our members and stakeholders across government to address these challenges for students on healthcare courses.”