Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
835. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if measures announced to assist final year nursing students (details supplied) will be extended to those undertaking placements in other years of their studies. [34279/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, following approval by Government on 13th December 2022, I was pleased to announce €9 million in additional supports for student nurses and midwives, €5.4m of which has been allocated to the HSE to introduce an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements.
Mandatory supernumerary practice placements occur for 45 weeks from year one of the programme right through to the first semester of year four. This scheme provides a targeted and more equitable approach to supporting these students and its main features are set out hereunder:
• Eligible student nurses and midwives in years 1 to 3 of their studies will each receive €500 per year as a targeted measure to contribute towards meeting the extra costs of meals associated with practice placements outside the student’s core placement site.
• A new rate of €80 for overnight accommodation has being introduced, along with an increased weekly cap of €300, for those eligible supernumerary students who require accommodation away from their normal place of residence while attending practice placements. This weekly cap is three times the cap introduced on 1st January 2022, and almost six times the previous cap.
• Supernumerary students requiring overnight accommodation can avail of, on a vouched basis, the reasonable cost of uniform laundry services.
• Supernumerary students continue to be entitled to a refund of the cost of transport for placements on a vouched basis.
Student nurses and midwives complete a 36-week internship during the fourth year. For student nurses and midwives on their final year internship, I ensured that their salary was set in line with the relevant recommendation in the McHugh Report, by increasing their rate of pay to 80% of Point 1 of the Staff Nurse/Midwife pay scale. This measure, worth €3.6 million, demonstrates further the Government's commitment to retaining talent throughout our nursing and midwifery degree programmes and our appreciation for the efforts and dedication shown by students during their crucial final-year internships. Finally, students are also provided with two additional uniforms at the start of their internship.
The above measures to introduce an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements represent €5.4m in additional supports annually.
