Key Summary
- The government would support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who want to start a career in the health industry.
- About 2,000 new nursing created apprenticeships concentrated in areas that need it most were added.
- The government has pledged to increase the proportion of medical students who received free school meals by 50 percent by 2035.
The UK government is devising a comprehensive package to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a career in healthcare sector, as part of its 10-Year Health Plan.
As pert the government data, about one third of schools have never had a pupil apply to medical schools, and around half have never had a student accepted.
To address this gap, 2,000 young people from England’s most deprived areas will be supported over the next three years to apply to university through government-funded medicine access courses.
Participating students will gain access to summer schools and NHS placements, allowing them to gain the practical skills and knowledge necessary to make their applications more competitive.
Beyond medical school access, the government has unlocked 2,000 additional nursing apprenticeships backed by £65.4 million.
These roles are strategically focused on areas with chronic training shortages and high deprivation.
This "earn-while-you-learn" model offers a direct entry into well-paid careers without requiring students to leave their communities or take on significant upfront costs.
Health secretary Wes Streeting, said: “Talent is everywhere in our country, but opportunity isn’t. I don’t want the NHS denied the talents and potential of the doctors, nurses and staff of the future, simply because they are never given a chance.
“Having grown up in poverty on a council estate, getting into Cambridge University changed my life. With the most working-class cabinet in history, this government is determined to change the odds for young people today.
“We’re determined to break the class ceiling in the NHS so that our professions are elite, not elitist. My message to the best and brightest young kids who want a future caring for their country in the National Health Service is – go for it.
“By backing people from every background to train and work in the NHS, this will benefit patients, the NHS, and students.”
Medical schools will be reallocated to areas with poorer health outcomes or aging populations, empowering these regions with locally trained doctors.
A new three-year pilot program will allow resident doctors to stay in one location for longer period, reducing the financial burden of relocation and helping them maintain a stable family life.
Alongside these measures, £15 million in government funding will expand a programme to support around 3,000 young people from deprived communities into NHS entry-level roles or training, for vital back-office roles.
In the first year of the programme nearly 3,500 people were offered care paths into the health service.
