'Student nursing placements should be paid'

The father of a student nurse said he was "blissfully ignorant" trainees were not paid for their NHS placements and has launched a petition.

Alex Lawrence, from Eye, Suffolk, has called for the abolishment of student nursing university fees and unpaid placements after his daughter, Tabatha, started her degree.

Peter Prinsley, the Labour MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, previously worked in the NHS for 30 years and said he agreed with the petition.

A government spokesperson said nurses played a "critical role" and there was a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 available to help with their student placements.

As part of nursing degrees, students have to complete 2,300 hours of clinical placements that are unpaid while also paying for their tuition fees.

"If you've got the of a family that don't charge you keep, you don't have to pay rent, maybe [who] make sure you get there every day, that's absolutely lovely," Mr Lawrence, whose petition has more than 6,200 signatures, said.

"But I do worry dearly about all the people out there that aren't quite as lucky, that might be fantastic nurses, doctors and dentists, but because of the financial implications will never get the chance," he added.

Mr Lawrence added he felt the non-repayable grant available to student nurses "barely" helped.

Prinsley said he agreed with Mr Lawrence that nurses were "essential" and he would sign the petition.

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