Nursing degrees could be axed under Tory plans to end the ‘degreeification’ of work, replaced with apprenticeships

Kemi Badenoch is considering whether nurses and midwives in England should be able to train on the job without needing a degree, as the Conservatives develop plans to expand apprenticeships. The proposal is part of her criticism of what she calls the “degreeification” of work and concern about student debt; the Royal College of Nursing says degree-level education supports patient safety.

Since 2013, new nurses in England have been required to complete degree-level education, usually a three-year university course, although degree apprenticeships are available. Before the change, most new nurses took two-year diploma courses, and around a quarter of nurses held degrees. The RCN describes nursing as a highly skilled, safety-critical profession, while Badenoch has also questioned the NHS’s reliance on overseas staff and said the Conservatives are actively examining the training requirement.