‘Cuts to bursaries for nurses a disgrace’ – Brady

Sinn Féin Health Committee member Mickey Brady MLA has said that the cuts to student nurse bursaries will have a detrimental affect on the numbers of students entering the profession.

Speaking to Newry Times, Brady said,

“Every year we see shortages of experienced nurses and midwifes right across the medical profession so it is important that those enrolling as students are given as much support as possible.

“The announcement that the bursaries for student nurses are to be cut by 15% and that book and uniform grants are to be scrapped is a severe blow to those students about to embark on their professional training and I am fearful that many will now have to reconsider their career due to this move.

“The financial saving of about £700,000 per year is minuscule in comparison to the wages paid to senior management.”

He added, “Mr. Poots should reverse this decision immediately and direct his attention to the reform of senior management rather than attempting to take money from students.

“If the number of students entering nursing continues to reduce we will be faced with a crisis in the years ahead which will see a huge deterioration in the service provided in our hospitals and clinics across the North.”

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Posted by Newry Times News on Sep 10 2012. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry