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<p>We expect this reform to enable universities to provide up to 10,000 additional
training places to study pre-registration nursing, midwifery and the allied health
subjects.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government response to the consultation
acknowledged the risk that if funding was not available to prospective pre-registration
postgraduate healthcare applicants, student numbers, and therefore workforce supply,
could fall. As a transitional arrangement until a longer term solution can be found
the Government set out it will, for the cohort starting in 2017/18 and for a capped
number of students, provide a bursary for tuition and maintenance to meet the full
costs of the course for postgraduate students, including those on midwifery programmes.</p><p>
</p><p>There are currently near record numbers of nurses and midwives in post in the
National Health Service in England. The latest available figures from June 2016 show
a total headcount of 25,832 midwives in post.</p><p> </p><p>As at 31 March 2016 there
were 6,350 midwives in training of which 471 are on the short 18 month course.</p>
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