THE bursary scheme which provides financial support for student nurses who decide to study in Wales should be made a long term commitment by the Welsh Government and not just a year-on-year one, says Wales' nursing leader.

The scheme is seen as a key component in ongoing attempts to get more budding nurses to train in - and then work and live in - Wales, to help address a shortfall in qualified staff.

That shortfall is a Wales-wide problem, and last month it was highlighted as the biggest risk to maintaining mandatory safe staffing levels on Gwent's hospital wards.

Last month the Argus reported that there were more than 300 whole time equivalent (wte) registered nurse vacancies at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

Health minister Vaughan Gething has said the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme, which also applies to student midwives and allied health professionals, will be extended to cover the 2020/21 academic year.

It is also seen as key in helping people who might otherwise be unable to fund their studies, to pursue the career they want.

The Royal College of Nursing in Wales has welcomed the announcement, its director Helen Whyley has criticised the one-year extension as being too short term.

"Yet again we have a one year extension to an essential funding stream for undergraduate nursing programmes, and it cannot continue indefinitely," she said.

"The funding of nurse education in Wales is essential to building a sustainable workforce and filling the significant vacancies for nurses across Wales.

"A bursary funding stream encourages and supports students from all socio-economic backgrounds to come to Wales in order to study."

The bursary was removed in England in 2017, and Ms Whyley said the numbers of mature students coming into nursing there has since fallen "dramatically".

"While there is currently a strong supply of applicants for student places at Welsh universities, with the lowest attrition (drop out) rate in the UK, we can’t make the most of this offer when it continues to be so short term," she said.

"RCN Wales is calling on the Welsh Government to make a long term commitment to investing in safeguarding the nursing student bursary in Wales.”

The full bursary package will continue to be available in Wales for those who commit to working in Wales for up to two years after qualifying.

Mr Gething said the extension into 2020/21 provides certainty to students and NHS bodies in Wales, to enable them to plan for their futures.

It is intended that a major consultation will now take place on the bursary arrangements in Wales, following a similar exercise last year.

"By extending this support package, I want to demonstrate how much we value our healthcare workforce and are committed to supporting them through their studies," said Mr Gething

“We’re also taking positive action to attract more health professionals from other parts of the UK and beyond through our ‘This is Wales - Train, Work, Live’ marketing campaign which sets out what Wales has to offer. I will now be looking at what longer-term arrangements can be put in place as we continue to develop our workforce.”

The Royal College of Midwives has also welcomed the bursary extension, with its director in Wales Helen Rogers saying its retention in Wales is "vital". But she also wants to see it become a long term Welsh Government commitment.

"We need to be sending a message to younger people such as those in school thinking about future careers and choices," she said.

"They need to know now that they can train as a midwife when they reach the right age, with a bursary to support them through it."