A leading independent Health Think Tank in the United Kingdom has called on student loans to be written off for certain health staff once they have been employed by the NHS for ten years. The Nuffield Trust, who use data and analysis to put forward health suggestions to the government, believe that this policy would help to stop the current โdropout crisisโ.
The suggestion comes on the back of a comprehensive report by the Nuffield Trust which has found that many nurses, midwives and other front-line staff are now leaving their professions earlier than those who came before them, with some not even completing their initial training.
The report looked at a variety of different healthcare staff, including doctors, nurses, midwives, physios and radiographers and examined trends relating to how many of them end up working for the NHS and for how long.
The data from the report shows that one in eight trainee nurses, radiographers and occupational therapists drop out of their training before completion. Out of those who did complete their training and went into NHS employment, one in five ended up leaving within two years to either take a break, switch careers or move to a healthcare job outside of the NHS.
The Trust say that these trends are worrying and that there needs to be more incentive to work for the NHS for domestic staff. For them, a student loan forgiveness scheme would be a good starting point for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals who typically have the highest dropout rates.
How the scheme would work
The Nuffield Trust say that the idea of wiping off student loan debt for NHS staff after ten years of service isnโt a one-size-fits-all all approach and will only work for certain professions. They argue that nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (e.g physios) should be entitled to it.
Their proposal states that the scheme would work on a staggered basis depending on time of service. For example, if a nurse was to work in the NHS for three years then they would see their student loan reduced by 30%. After seven years, they would then see it reduced by 70% and if they make it to ten years then their entire loan would be wiped clear.
One potential issue with the scheme would be that other NHS staff may feel aggrieved that they would still have to pay their loans in full which could result in more people leaving the service earlier than they currently do, creating the same problem just in a different area.
While the Nuffield Trust donโt believe the dropout rate for doctors is alarming, they said that there is evidence that more and more doctors are taking a break early on in their careers. Instead of extending the student loan forgiveness scheme to them, the trust proposed that doctors could delay loan payments instead without accruing interest.
A waste to the taxpayer?
Ministers have already rejected the suggestion but that hasnโt stopped the Nuffield Trust from pushing for it. The trustโs Senior Fellow, Billy Palmer said:
“These high dropout rates are in nobody’s interest – they’re wasteful for the taxpayer, often distressing for these students and staff who leave, and erode the NHS’s ability to deliver safe and high-quality care.
“Simply ploughing more staff into training without thinking about why they leave or what might tempt them to stay is enormously short-sighted.”
In response to the published report, the Department of Health and Social Care released a statement saying that interventions were already in place to reduce the number of healthcare professionals leaving the NHS. They said:
“The current student finance system strikes the right balance between the interests of students and of taxpayers. We are working closely with NHS England to reduce student attrition rates and ensure they are supported whilst in training.
“This includes a training grant for eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health profession students of at least ยฃ5,000 a year, alongside support for childcare and certain expenses.”
Final thought
The Nuffield Trust’s proposal to write off student loans for certain health staff is a well-intentioned attempt to address the alarming dropout rates among nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals.
While the scheme may have its flaws, such as potential resentment from other NHS staff, it is crucial to acknowledge the significant investment in training and education that is being wasted due to high attrition rates.
While the government may have already rejected the proposal, they absolutely must undertake a comprehensive investigation to try and address the root causes of dropout rates so that the NHS can deliver high-quality care and retain its valuable workforce.