NI gets 100 more nurse training places

Health Minister Simon Hamilton said the announcement represented a 15 per cent increase and brings the number of pre-registration places available in the Province to 745.

The DUP MLA said: “Even though we have increased the number of front-line nurses and midwives in the HSC by 1,200 over the past four and a half years, I recognise that the demand for nurses across our health system continues to rise.”

The places will be available through Queen’s University, Ulster University and the Open University from the autumn.

Meanwhile, the minister is also setting up a new task group to make recommendations about the future delivery of nursing and midwifery over the next 10 to 15 years.

“It will inform the development of new and exciting roles, building on the existing skills of our graduate workforce to lead the transformational changes required to deliver the world class health service to which we all aspire,” added Mr Hamilton.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has welcomed the announcement.

Northern Ireland director, Janice Smyth said: “The nursing profession is facing unprecedented pressure and the RCN believes that an independently chaired review group is urgently required.

“This provides an opportunity to ensure an approach that promotes health and wellbeing, identifies and embraces innovative practice and work already undertaken in Northern Ireland and is informed by evidence of best practice here, across the UK and further afield.”