Responding to the Skills for Care Strategy to boost care placements for student nurses and nursing associates, RCN Head of Independent Health and Social Care Claire Sutton, said:
"Working in social care can be an incredible career, but we know there are limited opportunities for students to secure a placement. This strategy is a welcome step in the right direction which can attract new nurses into the sector, help address widespread nursing vacancies and support the shift to community.
"This strategy is set against a backdrop of falling registered nurse numbers in social care, the very expert professionals needed to support new student placements. We will need to see joined-up work between government, providers and education institutions to ensure every nursing student on placement receives the best learning experience. We stand ready to assist in helping more people into the diverse roles available in social care.
"Beyond this strategy, ministers need to reveal a plan to boost numbers choosing to study nursing in the first place. Both social care and the NHS need the government to overhaul nurse education and introduce new financial incentives, including loan forgiveness, to boost student nurse numbers."
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Notes to editors
Skills for Care - Strategy to enable social care placements for student nurses and nursing associates
