The proposed closure of Cardiff University's school of nursing poses serious risks to patients, the public, nurse academics and students, the Royal College of Nursing Wales has warned in its formal response. The RCN, which has previously publicly voiced strong opposition, has now formally responded to the university as part of its consultation on widespread cuts.
Cardiff University announced in January that it planned to shut the school of nursing along with other sweeping savings, department closures and the loss of 400 academic posts as it grapples with a mounting deficit of at least £31m. Results of a University and College Union (UCU) strike ballot in protest at the cuts are expected next week.
Publishing its formal response, the RCN said it "strongly opposes the proposals, which were announced without prior consultation". The college added: "At a time when Wales has around 2,000 registered nurse vacancies in the NHS alone - with corridor care—where patients are treated in inappropriate, and sometimes unsafe areas —becoming increasingly common, ending nurse education at Cardiff University would worsen these challenges and threaten patient safety. The RCN's response comes as more than 1,000 staff were told yesterday that their jobs are still at risk and you can read more about that here
Applications to the school of nursing, as well as from higher paying international students, have risen according to UCAS data and you can read more about that here. The RCN warns that closing the highly respected school would also harm Cardiff’s reputation as one of the best places to study nursing. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
"Cardiff University has delivered nurse education since 1972, earning a reputation as a leading institution for nursing research and teaching. As a Russell Group university ranked 1st in Wales, 5th in the UK, and 51st globally for nursing, its contribution is vital for developing Wales' health care workforce," the response notes.
Helen Whyley, executive director of RCN Wales said: “This proposal is profoundly alarming. Either Cardiff University’s leadership is unaware of its proud legacy in nurse education and that its continued investment is crucial for the future of health care in Wales, or it considers this may be a price worth paying.
“How Cardiff University can claim that its nursing programmes are unsustainable when they are funded by Welsh government is baffling. Cardiff University should immediately withdraw these proposals, commit to no compulsory redundancies and instead collaborate with key stakeholders, including the RCN, as the body representing the nursing profession -to find a solution that protects nursing students, academic staff, and patients.”
In its consultation response document the RCN acknowledged that applications and recruitment to undergraduate nursing programmes across the UK had fallen and at Cardiff University. But it added that over the last two years there had been "a steady increase in applications to study nursing in Wales, alongside record levels of commissioning".
It added: "It would seem that renegotiating the size and scale of Cardiff’s provision with Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is needed to deliver nurse education sustainably. Nursing as a subject brings in a significant amount of funding, whilst we recognise the need for universities to be able to plan their business sustainably, a decline in student recruitment is not a rationale for the discontinuation of the subject."
The RCN warned that any loss of postgraduate provision "is a matter of great concern". It added: "This is a time that Wales needs to grow its advanced and consultant nurse workforce, in line with the Enhanced, Advanced and Consultant Framework for Wales. Any loss of this provision, which has advanced countless nursing careers and improved patient outcomes, would be significant not only for aspiring professionals but also for patients, their families and the wider community."
With nurse academics working across education programmes for other healthcare professions at the university the proposal to shed the department and jobs could also "introduce new risks" into other programmes, the RCN warns
"Programmes for educating healthcare professionals do not exist in isolation from each other, not only do nurse academics teach across professions, but the facilities for teaching these courses are also shared. The number of students on nursing degree courses is typically far larger than those for other healthcare professions.
"Without the numbers of students provided by nursing education, the viability of maintaining the modern buildings that house the university’s advanced teaching and simulation facilities will be called into question. This proposal could introduce new risks to the future of the education programmes for other healthcare professions at Cardiff University."
The proposal to discontinue nursing as a subject "devalues nursing at a time when workforce development is most crucial," the response warned. crucial. It cited "robust evidence" that graduate nurses provide high quality care, reduce patient mortality and improve patient outcomes.
In conclusion the RCN's document to the university said: "We need a range of education providers across Wales to meet the needs of our diverse and aging population. A Russell Group University delivering nurse education in Wales raises the profile and importance of the profession."
The RCN is urging Cardiff University to:
A Cardiff University spokesperson said: "We value the views and opinions of key stakeholders, like the RCN. Their views and the views of their members will be considered as part of the formal and on-going consultation process. As we’ve said previously, it’s important to stress that these are proposals and there is still a great deal of detail to work through before any final decisions are made. In the short term there will be no immediate impact on nursing students or their ability to complete their studies.
"We are committed to delivering nursing degree programmes to the students starting in 2025. We are acutely aware of our role in delivering the next generation of healthcare professionals for Wales and beyond and are committed to working actively with the RCN and other key stakeholders on our proposals."
The university has previously said it would continue to offer midwifery going forward, and was still “committed” to delivering nursing degree programmes for students due to start in 2025 and has stressed that the cuts remain proposals.
A 90-day consultation on the proposed cuts was launched by the university at the end of January. Universities across the UK are feeling the squeeze with home undergraduate tuition fees largely flatlining for years, a fall in the number of international students and rising costs.
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