The RCN says cuts to funding from the UK government for nursing courses in universities in England are “very worrying”.  

The Students Strategic Priorities Grant, which is the resource provided to teach every pre-registration nursing student in England, will be cut by nearly 3%. This means higher education will lose nearly £300 per student, per year, and this could put the viability of some courses at risk. 

We’re demanding the government supports nurse education and considers better, more effective workforce planning. This is essential for patients who will ultimately suffer if there are not enough nurses.  

Without appropriate UK routes into nursing, we may also have to return to relying on recruiting nursing staff from overseas. 

At a time when the higher education sector is already under serious financial pressure and nursing courses are at risk, Executive Director of RCN England Patricia Marquis said: "It’s another blow to our profession". 

She added:  

"This is a very worrying development which could limit the availability and options of routes into nursing in England.

“I'm extremely concerned about the impact this will have on nursing students and the availability of essential courses, such as those for learning disability nursing, where there's already only limited provision.

“Students deserve better than for funding to be taken away, potentially having an impact on the quality of the education they receive. Universities are the main route for educating the nurses of the future, and nursing courses need the full backing of government.

“The UK government will have no hope delivering on its ambitions if it doesn’t get behind nurse education and the universities that provide it." 

In the last few years several UK universities have announced reductions to or closures of nursing courses. Some have opened consultations on doing so too.

Read our calls for the future of higher education and nurse educators in England.