In December, it was actually announced that a brand-new annual cost grant of over £5,000 is going to be given to all of those who want to continue their degree-level of nursing qualifications. Most student nurses will start their course in September, but some universities have additional intake around March, and this tends to attract many more students who might be mature, or older. The government have confirmed that the student nurses across all year groups, who would normally start in Spring are now going to have to wait until next year to try and apply for the grant. It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth for those who have been working in the NHS during this difficult time. James Savage who is a mental health nursing student has stated that he is going to have to wait until next year to get the grant, and this means that he is going to get financial support for one year as opposed to the two years that he was originally promised. This is not good at all and it means that those who have opted for a Covid-19 placement are no longer going to get the support they need during this difficult time. Who knows what the future holds, but right now, it’s not looking bright.
Spring Students Have to Wait Another Year for the Grant
Student nurses who are part of the Spring Cohort are going to have to wait until next year before they can benefit from the new maintenance grant. This is being introduced in September and some believe that they have been misled. Those who have been affected have told the Nursing Times that they feel as though this is a kick in the teeth for homecare and private nursing workers as well. The government however have insisted that they have made the arrangements from the get-go.
