Record numbers accept their place on nursing and midwifery courses in England

on 13 December 2021

The number of students accepting places on nursing and midwifery courses has hit record levels for the second time in a row in England, according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data report.

Admissions onto nursing and midwifery courses saw a combined increase of 1.5% of students accepting their place (30,185 compared to 29,740 last year).

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid said: “It is fantastic to see so many people take the first steps toward rewarding careers in nursing and midwifery, with record numbers accepting places to study two years running. I have no doubt the efforts of healthcare staff during the pandemic have inspired a new generation, who will help secure the future of our health and care services.

“We are on track to deliver 50,000 more nurses by the end of this Parliament and we’re supporting all eligible nursing and midwifery students with £5,000 a year. I urge anyone who wants an enriching career in the NHS to apply next year.”

The Government has pledged in invest hundreds of millions of pounds in funding for the NHS workforce, to support training for undergraduate intake of medical students.

This record number in admissions to nursing and midwifery courses comes shortly after the Government announced that Health Education England (HEE) would be merged with NHS England, to ensure long-term planning and strategy for health care staff.

In September 2020, the Government introduced £5,000 training grants a year for eligible nursing and midwifery students, which does not need to be paid back. Additional payments of up to £3,000 a year are available for students studying certain specialisms.