What measures has the Cabinet Secretary considered to incentivise medical students to stay in the Welsh NHS after graduation, such as exemption from tuitions fees?
In terms of our NHS Bursary students, in Wales we already have schemes available, which provide tuition fees, a means tested NHS Bursary, a grant and access to a non-means tested payable maintenance loan.
For medical and dentistry students, we provide NHS Bursary funding in certain years of study: for the five-year (plus) undergraduate students programme NHS bursary funding is available from year five onwards and for the four-year accelerated programme for graduate entry students, NHS Bursary funding is available from year two onwards. In the non-NHS Bursary years students have access to funding from Student Finance Wales.
In addition to this, students can access maintenance loan and tuition fee support from Student Finance Wales. Students may also be eligible to apply for additional support depending on their personal circumstances such as Dependants Allowance, Disabled Students Allowance and Childcare Allowance.
The criteria to commit to working in Wales following graduation does not apply to medical and dentistry graduates, however this is something that may be considered in the future as part of a larger future public consultation about the NHS Wales Bursary.