Medical and dentistry schools across England will get additional funding to expand courses for the coming academic year to fulfil more offers for UK students who achieve the required grades.
The government has adjusted the cap on medical and dentistry places so that more students than ever will have the opportunity to study on these courses in 2021, and in the long term help boost our future NHS workforce.
Applications for medicine and dentistry have increased by 20 per cent this year compared to last year. A cap on places ensures standards are maintained and that every student has an appropriate placement and training throughout their studies.
The measures bring the total of medical and dentistry places to over 9,000 in universities in England for this year to support courses and public services which are essential to protect into the future.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Covid-19 has challenged healthcare staff and students like never before, and our nation has relied on them to keep us and our loved ones safe. As we look beyond the pandemic, it’s incredibly important we safeguard the future of our NHS by ensuring there is a pipeline of high-quality staff to bolster the workforce in the years ahead. Working closely with universities, we’re helping more students who meet the bar to get a place this year to study medicine or dentistry and join these fantastic professions.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Students have worked incredibly hard over the past 18 months and we have continued to put their best interests first to ensure they can progress on to the next stage of their education training or career. Throughout this pandemic our NHS heroes have been at the forefront of the response and their resilience, dedication and perseverance has clearly inspired the next generation.
“Medicine and dentistry have always been popular courses and we have seen significant demand for places this year alongside other subjects like engineering and nursing. We want to match student enthusiasm and ensure as many as possible can train this year to be the doctors and healthcare professionals of the future.”
