1. What steps will the Welsh Government take to support students undertaking undergraduate university courses that are eligible for NHS funding? OQ58403

The Welsh Government is working with Health Education and Improvement Wales to review the NHS Wales bursary scheme. We recognise the impact of increasing costs of living on healthcare professional students and we're working to identify immediate actions that could provide additional support.

Well, you've answered my next question, and thank you for that, because I was going to highlight the fact that a constituent who is starting to study an adult nursing degree this year has contacted me explaining that they will receive £5,855 per year to help with living costs. Of course, self-catering accommodation for students is over £6,000 in his case, so there is a problem there, never mind getting food on the table. But what he was saying is that, if he was studying another course or decided not to take an NHS bursary for the fees, then he could access up to £10,700 per year to pay living costs. And the question he wanted me to ask was why there is such a difference in that regard and what is the Government doing to tackle that disincentive for someone to study a course in nursing, particularly in the context that there is a shortage in the workforce. So, I welcome the fact that there is review ongoing, but perhaps you could give us an idea of when there will be a change on the ground.  

Some changes have already been made. So, HEIW has already increased the allowance available to students with regard to placement accommodation and so on, and transport. So, some steps have already been taken. We've established a programme board for bursaries and incentives to ensure that we can renew the bursary to ensure that it does provide those incentives, as the Member said. They'll look at a range of factors, including those that he's mentioned today. 

I think the same constituent possibly contacted me, although I think they named us individually rather than collectively on this occasion. They explained that because their household income was just over the eligibility threshold for an income-assessed NHS bursary, their son wasn't eligible. He was already short £317 before taking into account food, laundry and travel expenses. They pointed out that their other son, who was not studying for a nursing course but a general alternative course, would be £3,000 a year better off on the funding he currently receives through the system currently in place. So, how would you address the constituent's closing question to, I think, both of us: what could be done to amend the inequitable treatment of nursing students who are starting their studies this term?

Well, I refer Mark Isherwood to the answer I gave a moment ago, but I would say, both to him and to Llyr Gruffydd, that, if you would like to write to me about the particular constituent, I would be able to look into that in more detail—unless you have already; I certainly have had some correspondence on this. But I'd be very happy to look into that in more detail.