College healthcare students call for NHS placements

Hanane Ortega is one of more than 1,000 college students unable to do work placements

More than 1,000 college students on healthcare-related courses have been excluded from an NHS insurance policy.

The National Union of Students (NUS) and Colleges Scotland have written to the Scottish government to reconsider.

Without insurance, the students cannot undertake placements and complete their courses

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland's Chief Nursing Officer Fiona McQueen was "urgently" reviewing the decision.

College students studying courses in care practice and social services require a number of hours of placement in healthcare settings to complete their qualifications.

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Many of the students would go on to study nursing at university, and some have expressed frustration that university students have been included in the insurance policy.

Hanane Ortega, 26, studies HNC Healthcare Practice at North East Scotland College (Nescol) in Aberdeen.

Her course is a degree-link route, allowing her to skip first year at university and go straight into second year in nursing.

'It is extremely frustrating'

She said: "It is extremely frustrating. The fact that we haven't even been given a reason for it.

"It's discrimination, that's all I can see. Just because we've chosen to start our careers in a different institution."

Students studying HNC Healthcare Practice are required to do 700 hours of placements to complete their course.

North East Scotland College in Aberdeen offers college courses with a link to nursing at university

Ms Ortega said: "The major issue is time. Placements were meant to begin on 26 October.

"Every week is another 30 hours lost. It's extremely worrying. All of us are really stressed."

Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish government was aware that college students had been excluded from the insurance policy.

'We want to resolve this situation'

She said Prof McQueen was looking into it, adding: "We want to resolve this situation in as satisfactory a way as quickly as possible."

The letter co-written by NUS Scotland and Colleges Scotland warned that the NHS risked missing out on "a new generation of brilliant healthcare professionals and nurses in its time of greatest need."

NUS Scotland president Matt Crilley said: "This needs resolved - and fast.

"The Scottish government has already stepped in to ensure university healthcare students have the required life assurance to undertake on-the-job training with the NHS. We're calling on them to do the same for college students."

A spokesman for Nescol said: "Placements play a significant role in a wide range of curriculum areas where practical experience is a requirement of awarding bodies, whilst also providing students with a valuable opportunity to prepare for the transition to employment.

"The unique circumstances this year have brought challenges for Colleges throughout Scotland in relation to placements, particularly in care settings, and the sector is committed to working with employers in the public and private sector to minimise disruption."