- The government has announced a "graduate guarantee" for newly qualified NHS nurses and midwives, enabling trusts to hire based on projected need rather than waiting for existing vacancies.
- This strategic shift aims to ensure every new nurse and midwife in England can secure a position, addressing the current imbalance where some areas have up to three times more graduates than available roles.
- The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed the change will allow proactive recruitment, opening up thousands of roles and ensuring the health service has adequate staffing levels for optimal patient care.
- Additional measures include a dedicated online hub offering guidance for student applications and an £8 million allocation to temporarily convert vacant maternity support worker posts into Band 5 midwifery positions.
- The initiative follows discussions with the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Nursing, both of whom welcomed the move to provide certainty for graduates and fill vacant posts.
IN FULL
