Correspondents: Aisha Gomez and Roosa Tikkanen, the Commonwealth Fund
The National Health Service (NHS) has announced new measures to strengthen the country's nursing workforce to meet future demands. The reforms will fund 5,170 additional clinical placements for nursing degrees as well as 5,000 nursing associate training places starting in 2018. Nursing associate degrees offer a new, work-based route into nursing for those unable to commit to a full-time university degree. The NHS also will introduce flexible working arrangements for staff in order to improve work–life balance and retain experienced staff. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt described the move as representing “the biggest increase in nurse training places in the history of the NHS.”
