Drivers for Change

We currently face an unprecedented number of external and internal factors which challenge us as a department. Some could be characterised as threats, others as opportunities. Overall the Department's position is very strong and the University is committed to supporting us, but we must adapt to stay successful.

The following things have happened over the last two years which have impacted on Nursing, Midwifery and Health Sciences in general:

2016 Withdrawal of Bursary funding and Health Education England commissioned cohorts of Pre-registration Nursing and Midwifery students
2017 Advent of student loan funding for pre-registration Nursing and Midwifery students
A national year on year decline since 2015 in applications for nursing and midwifery places, threatening the ability to attract sufficient numbers of appropriately qualified applicants
NHS workforce transformation plans
A large, rural patch with no tertiary hospitals which limits the number of certain types of placement and also meaning that students are required to travel long distances to practice placements
Introduction of Higher level apprenticeships and the apprenticeship levy for employers. Opportunities for new ways to access and fund professional education both pre- and post-registration
Decline in commissioned SSPRD programmes except for in very specific areas where there remains potential for growth
The new NMC education framework and standards for Registered Nurses (shortly to be followed by similar new standards for Registered Midwives) demand that we create new curricula - this entails a great deal of work but offers us many opportunities to refresh and enhance our programmes and improve your experience.

What do we want to do?

The Department's aim is to navigate its way through this rapidly changing environment towards our goal of securing a sustainable future whilst enhancing our reputation as a trusted provider of the highest quality, innovative and impactful research and teaching.

We will continue to attract, develop and support excellent staff to design and deliver the highest quality taught programmes.

Our Department is home to some of the leading national and international researchers in Health Sciences, we will ensure that our excellent research can continue to succeed while enhancing our taught programmes as much as possible.

We aim to continue to attract the best qualified applicants who can get the most out of our UG, PG and CPD programmes and develop into future leaders in nursing and midwifery and other healthcare professions.

Our programmes and our research both rely on close partnerships with local and regional NHS providers. They are an essential part of our success and we will continue to consult with them, to support them and include them in our planning.

From this solid foundation we aim to build on our strengths so we can take advantage of future opportunities and avoid potential pitfalls in this rapidly changing situation.