Review into widening access to nursing and midwifery education and careers announced
Date posted
13 April 2017
13:10
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Shona Robison visited Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus today as a review into widening access to nursing and midwifery was announced.
The Cabinet Secretary met staff and students at the University’s Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre as she took in a tour of the facility, seeing first-hand the technology and equipment the University uses to train its health professionals of tomorrow.
The widening access review has been commissioned by Scotland’s Chief Nursing Officer, Professor Fiona McQueen and will be led by Depute Principal and Depute Vice Chancellor of the University of West of Scotland, Professor Paul Martin CBE.
It aims to work with key stakeholders to identify best practice and current barriers to entering the professions, and to make recommendations to enhance accessibility to a wide range of aspiring nurses and midwives.
The quality of training here is second to none - it is really high tech, really high quality and that will produce really good nurses and midwives for the future.
Ms Robison said: “Nurses have a vital role to play in achieving our vision for health and social care in Scotland and are at the heart of our NHS – it is important that we continue to maximise the opportunities to pursue careers in nursing and midwifery.
“There is excellent work going on across Scotland to meet nursing and midwifery workforce demands through our evidence based intake planning processes, commitment to high quality higher education programmes and our continuing support for students. We want to build on that success.
“The Scottish Government remains committed to free tuition fees and protecting the non-means tested, non-repayable nursing and midwifery student bursary – which we believe is essential to ensure a steady supply of trainees into the profession. This commission aims to maximise that investment.”
Professor McQueen said: “The final report will identify best practice and current innovations which maximise access across the education and employment sectors. It will also identify current obstacles to nursing and midwifery careers, both in terms of ambition and access. The recommendations will cover actions and targets to improve access to Nursing and Midwifery education and careers.”