Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
£1bn needed to fill 42,000 nursing jobs say students
Beckinsale leads calls for law change
STUDENT nurses protesting outside Parliament yesterday joined calls for £1billion of NHS funding to tackle the staffing crisis.
The Royal College of Nursing wants money to be allocated out of NHS funds recently pledged by Theresa May to fill the 42,000 nursing vacancies.
The staffing crisis follows the Tories’ scrapping of nursing bursaries in 2016, after which applications to courses fell 33%.
The RCN says £1billion would fund the return of bursaries, grants or “forgivable loans”, paid off by the Government in return for service on wards.
Students protested ahead of a Commons debate on NHS funding called by Wolverhampton Labour MP Eleanor West, who is a former nurse.
Many undergraduates say they cannot survive on regular student loans as hospital placements stop them doing part-time jobs.
First year student nurse, Alexandra Brucciana, 20, said: “I’ve got my student loans and I’m borrowing from friends. At this rate I’ll drop out by Christmas.”
Meanwhile the Nursing and Midwifery Council wants to lower the English language requirement for overseas health workers.
The NMC said it is planning the change as some people “just miss out” on the current standard. MOVIE actress Kate Beckinsale has backed decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland.
The star is among more than 60 female celebrities to write an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.
The region has very tight restrictions on the procedure and the issue will be raised in Parliament tomorrow.
The letter supported by stars from TV and fashion was also signed by Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker and Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman.
It said: “This Friday, women across the UK will be waiting with anxiety and fear as their reproductive rights are debated in Parliament.
“We’re counting on you (Theresa May) and your government to stand with women and decriminalise abortion.
“Give us choice and control over our own bodies. Show women from Northern Ireland that you won’t stand for them being governed by one of the harshest and cruellest abortion laws in the world.
“Show you champion the rights of all women, no matter which part of the UK they’re from.”
A termination is only permitted in Northern Ireland if a woman’s life is at risk or if there is a risk of permanent and serious damage to her mental or physical health.
The 1967 Abortion Act was not extended to Northern Ireland.
A Private Members’ Bill which would decriminalise terminations will be debated at Westminster on Friday.
Dame Emma Thompson, Claire Foy, who played the Queen in the The Crown and her successor in the role, Olivia Colman also backed the move.
Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood also joined a call for reform supported by Amnesty International.
Almost 50,000 others have signed a petition calling for the decriminalisation of abortion.
The hardline DUP, which holds strong Christian views, has prevented reform.
Labour MP Diana Johnson, who has brought forward the decriminalisation Bill, said: “The Government must give my Bill the time it needs. Women need this change. Abortion is a healthcare and human rights issue. It’s time it was treated as such.”
Amnesty International’s Grainne Teggart said: “Women in Northern Ireland are being failed by a lack of Government action, forced to live with the cruel reality of Northern Ireland’s strict near total abortion ban every day.”