The Health Secretary has announced £65.4 million for 2,000 additional nursing degree apprenticeships in England over the next three years. The plans are part of a range of measures to support workforce sustainability and widen access to nursing careers. This comes in advance of NHS England’s 10 Year Workforce Plan.

Following this announcement, Ed Hughes, CEO of the Council of Deans of Health has responded:

“This initiative to fund 2,000 additional nursing apprenticeships is welcome news and builds on the excellent work our member universities and colleges already do to widen access and increase participation in health education.  A degree apprenticeship in healthcare is a gateway to a career of public service, unlocking opportunity for the individual, levelling up communities, and supporting our NHS.

The Council of Deans of Health will always welcome moves to make courses and careers in healthcare more accessible. Degree apprenticeships also provide an important route into many other healthcare careers, and additional targeted support for underserved allied health professions could be hugely beneficial to securing the future professional workforce.

We look forward to further detail around how these so we can work with the government, NHS and our members to support the delivery of these additional apprenticeships.”