Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think NHS course students should be made to pay tutition fees for their courses

65 replies

reallytired · 22/12/2011 13:41

A band 5 nurse starts on 21K and this salary will rise through out their career. It is not an exceptional salary, but it certainly aint the worse paid graduate job. I have a friend who is a band 7 nurse and she is doing very nicely. There other nhs degrees where people can do an earn a living outside the nhs like physios or dietitians.

I feel its unreasonable that teachers have to pay for student loans to cover tutition fees and not nurses. Surely a good teacher is as valuable as a nurse.

OP posts:
FourEyesGood · 22/12/2011 13:46

YABU and sound jealous. To even things out, I'd prefer that no students had to pay tuition fees, just like in the old days (i.e. the nineties). If you're a teacher (or trainee teacher) and would rather be a nurse, go ahead an retrain. I'm a teacher and wouldn't be a nurse even if the salary was much higher; it's an extremely difficult job and I have a lot of respect for frontline NHS staff.

hellhasnofury · 22/12/2011 13:46

Most nurses actively work nurses while in training and most teachers are full time students until they qualify though.

FourEyesGood · 22/12/2011 13:48

and, not an. I only bothered correcting myself because I've stated that I'm a teacher, and I don't want lots of "I'm glad my children aren't being taught by someone who can't even spell and" comments! Grin

slavetofilofax · 22/12/2011 13:49

I think they should be made to pay for their training if they don't work within the NHS for at least five years. So if they leave the NHS to work elsewhere or to have a baby or whatever, then they should be charged for what was spent on them.

If they stay working in the NHS, they shouldn't have to pay.

ballroomblitzen · 22/12/2011 13:50

YABU - a lot of the course is hands-on work and not the same holidays other students get.

Serenitysutton · 22/12/2011 13:54

slave to filofax- they do- i don't know the exact details as my Db qualified a few years ago but you do have to repay if leaving the NHS.

YABU- I do't understand why you think they should pay? they work whilst studying, they need to have an incentive to do it in the first place since we need nurses and it became clear a few years ago not many were coming into the profession, and it encourages a lot of fab but poor healthcare assistants to use tehir talenst rather than languish wiping bums for £7 P/H

Original poster
reallytired · 22/12/2011 13:55

I know people who are retraining and doing nhs degrees. They have already done a degree without fees ten years ago and then they get funded to do a second degree. (Ie. in radiology, or dietitics) I feel this is unfair.

It seems a little grim that some graduates having having to take out loans to cover 9K of tutition fees for doing a first degree, but other people get to do a second degree without fees.

Lots of people work hard in their jobs. If people with NHS burseries were REQUIRED to work for the NHS for a set number of years then there might be some point.

OP posts:
Iggly · 22/12/2011 13:55

slave why should they pay if they have a baby?! WTF?
How many got their degrees for free? Why is your education worth more than current students?

PeaceofCakeAndGoodWineToAllMN · 22/12/2011 13:55

Healthcare students work full time, the same as qualified staff. It's practically impossible to work part time and study, besides, would you want an exhausted student nurse caring for you? I think that every course which teaches a public sector skill, like teaching, should be free. Student teachers contribute so much to society, why should they have to get a loan and pay expensive fees just to be able to teach our children? (I'm not a teacher, nor am I a student).

yellowraincoat · 22/12/2011 13:57

Personally I wouldn't make anyone pay for their education.

But it totally makes sense that people who work in essential roles are funded.

champagnevanity · 22/12/2011 13:57

Totally agree with you,

One of my close friends is a nurse, i believe if you do a nursing degree you have to pay tuition fee's, and dont get a bursary But if you do the nursing diploma, same qualification, no tuition fee's + a £500 a month bursary.

Most students have to do work experience, the hours are just as long without pay. Fair enough, no night shifts, but nurses get a bloody good deal. My friend had the cheek to moan about doing 1 week of full time work and only getting paid her bursary!

I've done work experience and not been paid a penny!

aldiwhore · 22/12/2011 14:01

I agree with Slave, but would extend it to teachers and other public sector jobs... your training should be free IF you remain in the public sector for 5 years after qualifying. If you work in the private sector then your training fees should become payable.

Saying that, I still owe 80% of my student loan from 10 years ago... I'd have LOVED the opportunity to write it off by working in the public sector for a few year's service, but there simply aren't the jobs, and what would happen to those who intended to serve the public sector to write off their fees if there weren't the positions available in the public sector?

So Yes, I think it should be free for those willing to serve. But its unfair if only nurses are getting this incentive.

PeaceofCakeAndGoodWineToAllMN · 22/12/2011 14:02

I was a radiography degree student until last year, my fees were paid and I did get a bursary although it was lower then the bursary for diploma students. A diploma student isn't eligible for a student loan, which is why their bursary is higher.

Dawndonnathatchristmasiscoming · 22/12/2011 14:03

I don't think that anyone should be paying university fees. However, if we are going to make people pay then teachers, doctors, nurses etc should be exempt. My son wants to be a doctor, he will be in debt for years for learning how to treat you and your family.

1Catherine1 · 22/12/2011 14:03

Personally think education should be free especially to those that go on to work in the public sector. I am quite concerned about the effect the current course costs will have on the teaching proffesion. Not about teachers v nurses, its about accessing education for all.

PeaceofCakeAndGoodWineToAllMN · 22/12/2011 14:04

It's not just nurses who get funding, radiographers, Occupational therapists, social work students etc. Medical students on the graduate entry scheme have to fund themselves for the first year of the course, then are able to get the fees paid and receive a bursary.

onelittlefish · 22/12/2011 14:09

I did dietetics 10 years ago. Unless things have changed I had to pay for my whole course which was not a small amount. Not only did I have to pay for my course but the placements, which lasted 3 months each, were unpaid and I could have been posted anywhere in the country - which basically meant I had to find money for accommodation too. The pay as a dietitian is alright but it definitely not going to get any awards for best paid job.

Of course teachers are really important but quite frankly the deal that teachers have is not as bad as the rest of the general population at the moment. You are guaranteed job security, it fits in perfectly with having children and lastly at least you have some kind of pension (most people have none).

slavetofilofax · 22/12/2011 14:18

slave why should they pay if they have a baby?! WTF?

I said if they leave to have a baby. They shouldn't pay if they have a baby and take standard ML then come back to the NHS, but they should pay if they got a free degree and it benefits no one, especially the overstretched essensial service that paid for it.

I would rather everyone got one free degree or vocational equivalent, but as that isn't going to happen, then I think that the NHS should only be paying for things that benefit the NHS and it's service users.

FourEyesGood · 22/12/2011 14:20

I think that the NHS should only be paying for things that benefit the NHS and it's service users.

I think trained staff do benefit the NHS and its (no apostrophe) service users.

gobbledegoop · 22/12/2011 14:22

YABU... piss off!

student nurse

slavetofilofax · 22/12/2011 14:26

Then we agree FourEyes.

Hmm
maypole1 · 22/12/2011 14:29

My oh had to do work placements as part of his course as a student yu get the shit shifts so nights, weekends and christmas

Its not like doing a media degree when you go. In two days a week its a full time every day course with 12 hour shifts and you have to go straight into the nhs very difficult tp get a job in the private sector straight out of training un like most other degrees you have to work for the star weather you want to or not

Op bah humbug to you

FourEyesGood · 22/12/2011 14:31

Oh yeah, slave. Blush I haven't started on the sherry yet, honest.

suzikettles · 22/12/2011 14:32

There are not all that many band 7 nurses to be fair. That's a managment grade in the main.

Most will end their careers at 6, which is for Nurse Specialists etc.

mapleleafmay · 22/12/2011 14:33

I think all students should have their few paid by the government BUT I think that only a small percentage of the population should be able to attend University (it the academic elite and those wishing to pursue vocational courses demanding University level training). Unfortunately, that horse has already bolted.

Funding nursing students is a good way to encourage applicants into nursing. Nursing students have to spent a considerable amount if time on the wards actually nursing an performing a useful role.
I do agree that it should be dependent on at least 5 years of NHS service and should be payable if this is not fulfilled. A contract agreeing to this should be signed at the start of the course.
Medical students have to fund themselves nowadays as far as I'm aware which is probably not v fair in the clinical years....

Swipe left for the next trending thread