A university that was considering scrapping its nursing school has found an “alternative proposal” that would see the school saved but the number of nurses it trains reduced.
Cardiff University has faced major backlash since it announced a provisional plan in January to axe its nursing provision due to budgetary pressures.
“I recognise that this has been an extremely challenging couple of months for everyone”
Stephen Riley
Nursing was among a number of courses that faced closure as part of the plans, which also involved the reduction of 400 full-time equivalent academic staff and the merging of some schools.
Several protests by nursing students, academics and union representatives have taken place in opposition of the proposals, on which the university has been seeking views via a formal consultation.
The university has also been pulled into discussions with workforce body the Health Education and Improvement Wales, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), NHS Wales and the Welsh Government over its plans.
This morning, Professor Stephen Riley, pro vice-chancellor of the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences at Cardiff University, sent an email to nursing staff announcing that a “credible alternative plan” had now been found.
He said the new proposal would see the university continuing to offer undergraduate courses in adult, child and mental health nursing, as it does now.
However, the size of the student cohorts would be shrunk, meaning that the university would be training fewer nurses than it does currently.
“The alternative proposal would mean teaching fewer undergraduate students each year, but focusing heavily on the student experience and support provided throughout the degree,” said Professor Riley in his email, seen by Nursing Times.
“This should result in a higher proportion of students successfully graduating and moving into the Welsh NHS.”
He said the university would also be looking to “redevelop our postgraduate offering and maintain a research base” for nursing.
The email revealed that Cardiff University was still losing nursing academic staff via a voluntary redundancy process.
Professor Riley said the applications it had received to date for voluntary redundancy “provide the required staffing levels to offer and deliver the newly reshaped nursing programmes on a sustainable basis”.
The alternative proposal is not yet signed off, and Professor Riley said further engagement was needed with unions and external bodies before they could be given the green light.
“Given the scale of the challenge that our NHS is facing, we shouldn’t be seeing any cuts at all to nursing courses”
Mabon ap Gwynfor
He pledged that nursing staff would be given the opportunity to ask questions about the plans over the next few weeks.
“I recognise that this has been an extremely challenging couple of months for everyone. It has caused a huge amount of uncertainty and worry,” Professor Riley added.
RCN Wales has welcomed the possible retention of nursing at Cardiff University, but expressed disappointment over the reduction in student numbers and loss of academic staff.
Helen Whyley, executive director of RCN Wales, said: “Cardiff University’s decision to keep its nursing provision is absolutely the right thing to do.
“The RCN vehemently opposed the proposed closure, which would have had a devastating impact on nurse staffing levels, the education of future nurses and the quality of patient care across Wales.
“However, we are disappointed to learn that many staff have taken voluntary redundancy and that the provision going forwards will be smaller.
“Ultimately, Cardiff University will be training fewer nurses at a time when we crucially need to be growing the workforce in Wales.”
She warned that the university would need to work hard to regain the trust of the nursing profession and its reputation as a leading nursing education provider globally.
Meanwhile, member of the Senedd Mabon ap Gwynfor, health and care spokesperson for Plaid Cymru, weighed in on the matter and urged the university to reconsider its plan to reduce the size of its nursing cohorts.
He warned: “Given the scale of the challenge that our NHS is facing, we shouldn’t be seeing any cuts at all to nursing courses, and I urge the university to consider all options to ensure that we maintain the full complement of nursing placements.”
He said the Labour-run Welsh Government needed to step in to ensure the future of Wales’ nursing workforce.
More on the Cardiff University situation
