NUS-USI is deeply concerned at the Department of Health's decision to cut the number of nursing student places in Northern Ireland.
Chloe Ferguson, NUS-USI President responded:
“Cutting student nursing places is going to exacerbate the existing nursing shortage and is a devastating blow to the health service as a whole.
It's critical that we invest in our health and social care, students being an integral part of this infrastructure. We need to make sure that there are enough nurses to provide safe and high-quality care for all patients. Nursing also often attracts mature students with additional responsibilities, who do not have the flexibility to move their lives to another country to gain an education. This announcement is just another barrier to securing accessible and life-long education.
This decision has stemmed from the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Assembly. The almost daily cuts to core services across Northern Ireland will continue to create devastating harm to our young people and their future. We continue to call on political parties to come together and form an assembly urgently.”
ENDS.
