One in six student nurses quit

Nurses are not getting all the training available

One in six health care students quit their courses before graduating, according to official figures.

Some courses have a drop-out rate of nearly 40%, the National Audit Office (NAO) has found.

Many universities are at or near full capacity for health care places and good quality practical placements are difficult for students to find.

Training for those already working in the profession tends to be patchy across the UK, with staff finding it hard to get the time needed to go on courses.

Healthcare staff are the lifeblood of the NHS. Developing their skills and abilities is vital both to the quality of patient care and the modernisation of the NHS

Sir Andrew Foster, controller of the Audit Commission

Part-time, night staff and auxiliary staff have even less chance to take up their training opportunities.

Unless these areas of worry are targeted by the government, two new reports warn that bids to increase the number of nurses in the NHS will fail.

Staffing increase

In the NHS Plan for England, the government promised to increase the number of nurses working in the NHS by 20,000 over the next five years.

They said they will be training an extra 5,500 nurses, midwives and health visitors a year.

But the NAO and the Audit Commission say these targets will only be met if the government improves education and training.

The government has said it wants to reduce the drop-out rates for nurses and midwives to 13% this year, but the new figures say some universities and colleges will struggle to meet this.

Training standards and costs of courses can vary up to five times as much from area to area.

The Audit Commission's report found that in the majority of NHS Trusts that at least one-third of nurses had not updated their skills in basic support.

Wasted cash

And one-in-five health trusts were using less than three-quarters of their training places for post-graduate education - meaning millions of pounds are wasted each year.

Researchers found that one-third of all staff interviewed had not agreed training needs with their boss over the last year.

The Audit Commission called for better staff training and a review of what money is spent where and more flexible training for all staff.

Sir Andrew Foster, controller for the Audit Commission, said it is vital staff get the best training possible.

He said: "Healthcare staff are the lifeblood of the NHS. Developing their skills and abilities is vital both to the quality of patient care and the modernisation of the NHS.

The National Audit Office's report reviews how successful the arrangements between the NHS and colleges and universities in education and training are.

Better education 'the key'

Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, said better education is the key to beating the recruitment and retention problems.

He said: "Health care professionals provide much of the service that patients need and expect, and a cost effective world class education and training system must be the foundation for delivering this.

An Royal College of Nursing spokesperson welcomed the findings and called for action.

She said: "This report shows too many variations in training provision for nurses - we need to see equal access across the UK and a recognition of the importance of providing adequate funding and support."

Health Minister John Denham said there was "no doubt" that the government would meet its target for extra nurses.

"Some of these courses are very heavily academic in the first two years, but a lot of student nurses want to get on to the wards to get good clinical practice early on and that is what we are delivering through changes in nurse education."