Axe training costs to keep our nurses

It is shocking that nurses have to pay for their training. Soldiers don’t and with viruses like Covid around, nobody can claim nurses are in any way less brave than soldiers.

The death rate of nurses and other health care staff can easily exceed the military tri-service losses (71 in 2021 and 15 of those being due to cancer).

Free training would pay for itself in terms of staff staying in employment despite low wages as no 9% loss of gross pay would happen, as it does at present for 30 years; fewer choosing to move abroad for better wages; as well as gaps in nurse staffing numbers being filled by young people who, knowing they would not start out in life with the current average nursing graduate loan debt of £35K hanging over their desires for a family and a good home, would be more willing to start out on a career in nursing, thus saving £6bn in agency nursing costs.

Nick Hales

Bath