NHS Bursaries

On the 11^thJanuary the House of Commons will debate an e-petition about the NHS Bursary. The debate has been scheduled by the new Petitions Committee. For more information about how the Petitions Committee works please see the link below:

Role of the Petitions Committee

The NHS Bursary petition came about following the news that “From 2017/18, new students on nursing, midwifery and AHP pre-registration courses (which lead on to qualification with one of the health professional regulators) in England will take out maintenance and tuition loans like other students rather than getting an NHS grant.” (Council of Deans 2015)

London South Bank University& #WeNurses debate / Twitter discussion on 6^th Jan 6pm –8pm

Prior to the House of Commons debate on the NHS Bursary, #WeNurses will be holding a Twitter discussion that will run alongside a live London South Bank University (LSBU) debate about the NHS Bursary on 6^th January from 6pm– 8pm (Register here to attend the LSBU debate). Details about the live debate being held at LSBU can be found here. The debate will be live streamed and #WeNurses will be picking up on key points in the room and discussing them online.

There will be opportunity to ask the speakers questions via Twitter at the end of the debate. There will also be members of the The Petitions Committee staff team on hand to answer any questions about the House of Commons debate and attending the debate in person at LSBU.

The Twitter discussion and debate will be advertised to MPs due to take part in the House of Commons debate and comments will be summarised and provided to MPs in advance of the debate.

If you can’t join in the Twitter discussion or be at LSBU for the debate you can alternatively contact your MP directly to tell them why this House of Commons debate is important to you. 

The House of Commons debate on 11^th Jan

On the day of the House of Commons debate Elaine Maxwell (Associate Professor in Leadership School of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University) Teresa Chinn (RN & Social Media Specialist, WeNurses) Serena Ruffoni (Second Year Student Nurse LSBU) Robert Waterson (Newly Qualified Nurse Guy’sand St Thomas’ NHSFT) and June Girvin (Professor, PVC / Dean Faculty Health& Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University) will attend a pre-debate round table event with the Petitions Committee to share the thoughts and points discussed on Twitter and at the LSBU debate and make sure the voices of those affected by the bursary are heard. This event will then be followed by the debate in Westminster Hall.

Watch the debate online:

You can watch the debate live from 4.30pm on 11^th January, click on the image below to watch (or listen in the background) live:
(this is now available as a catchup from Parliament TV via the image below)

(You can read the transcript of the debate here)

Attend the debate:

All debates in Westminster Hall are open to the public. Please note that spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come first-seated basis.

Following the debate:

You can also see all the #NHSbursary pre debate round table tweets here and the tweets during the live debate here via @WeGizmos)

(Following is the summary and details from the pre debate #WeNurses)