This new allowance was recommended as part of an ongoing Review of Student Support. This means that for those students who need to take a leave of absence from their studies due to pregnancy and childbirth, they will continue to receive their bursary payments for a period of up to 45 weeks.
Mr McGimpsey said: “At present student nurses and midwives studying in Northern Ireland who become pregnant receive no funding after 60 days absence from their course. In some cases this means that the student is forced to withdraw from her course due to financial hardship.
“I believe that this financial support will help prevent those affected having to abandon their studies where possible. I want student nurses to be able to return to and complete their course.
The Minister continued: “It is important to have arrangements in place which will assist our student nurses during their training. We need to ensure value for money from the bursary scheme. We can help achieve this by taking steps to allow students to graduate and join our Health Service in Northern Ireland.”
A further change to the bursary scheme to take effect from September 2007 is the removal of age-based allowances which will ensure that the scheme is compliant with regulations on age and will allow for the redistribution of released funds.
Notes to editors:
1.In January 2007 the RCN met with the then Minister Paul Goggins to discuss support for student nurses in Northern Ireland. The Minister subsequently asked the Department to carry out a review of the bursary system for pre-registration nursing and midwifery students.
2.A working group was established and drew its membership from the RCN, RCM, UNISON, Queen’s University, University of Ulster, National Union of Students and departmental representatives. The group met between March 2007 and May 2007 to agree initial proposals to modernise the bursary system.
3.As part of the review to modernise the current Bursary Scheme, the Student Support Review Group have made recommendations for the use of released funds to provide:
A contribution to Childcare payments
The introduction of a new Parents’ Learning Allowance to replace the existing Single Parents’ Learning Allowance Both changes are subject to public consultation and as the consultation period will over-run the start date for new students in September 2007, it is anticipated that these will be introduced in January 2008 and backdated to September 2007.
A further Press Release may be issued at a later date.
4.The introduction of childcare payments and a Parents’ Learning Allowance, and the removal of age allowances will apply to new entrants to courses from September 2007. A consultation period on these allowances will begin shortly.
5.Media queries to Sarah Williams, DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 2841 or 07791 149246.
