NHS Role without the £30k+ debt?

[RedFoot]

I was wondering if anyone could advise me on roles and training options within the NHS? I am looking at retraining and would like to go into Nursing or one of the other Allied Health Profession's but the funding changes coming in and subsequent student debt are putting me off going to Uni.

I am currently a LSA in an FE college in Greater Manchester and although I enjoy the role, I cannot see any career progression except into teaching?

I do have young children but I am quite prepared to start at the bottom and work up. Does such a thing exist: starting at Band 3 and working up to Band 5? If so what are these roles?

Pharmacy technician could be an option. There is a two year student tech training programme, then when you qualify you become a band 4. There are also band 5 roles, a few 6's and maybe a 7 in most hospitals. The training is work based and I think paid for by the nhs.

Ah - I have a thread on here about retraining as a social worker but also looked at some NHS roles (mental health nursing or physician associate)

Some paramedics can still get funding (not much help if you don't want to be a paramedic).

The repayments are pretty low for the loans (but yes lots of debt).

Sorry Devilish perhaps I should have acknowledged that your thread inspired me to start this one, but then I wasn't sure if that would be bad form if you didn't want to say about your role...

My sister is an emergency care assistant on the ambulances. Currently a band 3 and it's almost a given that they will fund her paramedic training in the coming years. Some trusts will also have secondments for band 2 and 3 hcas to do their nursing although these are becoming much more rare. I think working you're way up the bands is pretty hard now though. Everyone seems to be getting downgraded. I'm an RMN and in my trust the amount of band 6 staff that have retired and are been replaced by band 5s doing the same role but for less money is huge.

What is putting me off going to Uni is I already have 20k of loans for a seemingly useless English degree. So I am balking at taking on another 30k+.

(to my thread, not the debt).

One thing I have done is sign up for local NHS (& council) job alerts just to nose at what is out there.

Thank you for the replies so far.

Surely many career routes are still funded? Eg speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc

Loans from sept 2017.

Many councils do a ready for practice scheme if you were interested in social work. Most places are offered to people working in family worker type roles but not all

Sorry - missed the essential bit that the degrees are funded by the council

Dental nursing

Redfoot wants an NHS role - not SW (a lot of those SW sponsored schemes have gone with the cuts apparently).

As far as I can research all NHS degrees are going to be funded by loans come 2017. A good friend got on to a Radiography degree -just in the nick of time, will be the last cohort with the bursary.

I did consider Social Work and my council used to run a scheme where by you would gain an MA in SW. Unfortunately I didn't have a degree at the time. Now I do, I've not seen the positions advertised for years, so agree with Devilish and can only assume they have gone the way of the cuts.

I've thought about doing an MA in SW at local uni but my DC's are still very young, so would have to be in a few years.

I guess I was hoping for the complete career change my Radiography friend manged to secure but without taking on more debt and loss of earnings. But if the roles aren't there, they aren't there and I will go back to the drawing board!

I don't think the funding for these degrees will be cut in Wales. Does anyone know? I have asked a few student friends and all have said they think we still have funding in Wales.

Wales bursary is staying.

Are the new loans going to be funded by the student loans company? If so I don't think you are eligible to take out another one as a graduate. I'd like to be wrong.

Student finance England won't fund you (are you in England?) but if the NHS are going to provide the loan that may be different.

Ok nursing and midwifery should be covered as a second degree. Good news

The OP's original problem still stands though - £30k debt and no income for three years. I wanted to study to become a radiographer. Although I'm in Wales and would still be eligible for the bursary I don't think I can risk my family's finances - I'd be bringing in less than £500/month. There's not a cat in hell's chance I would take out loans to do it.

I know this hasn't been posted on in a while, but does anyone know if any decision has been made about people studying for second degrees will be able to get a student loan as mentioned on the gov.uk website?

Yes to nursing and AHPs. Also I believe in STEM subjects.

Yes, I've also had the best confirmation I can at this time from SLC that this is true.