Recommendation 22

The policy change impacted on some students and regions more than others. For example, from 2016 to 2018, there was a 10% increase in the number of students accepted onto nursing degree courses for children’s nursing and for applicants from the North East. This is in contrast to large reductions in students accepted onto learning disability courses (-41%) and for applicants from the South East (-24%).57 The Department acknowledged there was a particular drop-off in the number of mature students (aged 21 and over) who represent a big source of nurses.58