With nearly a third of schools in England never having had a pupil apply to medical school, a series of new measures hopes to unlock barriers to the profession.
Careers in the medical profession, particularly doctors and health care specialists, are often out of reach for many because schools and families – particularly in disadvantaged communities – often lack the knowledge needed to guide students towards medicine, or to encourage biology, chemistry and physics early enough, which are essential stepping stones into medicine.
Government data shows that a third of schools in England have never had a pupil apply to medical schools, and around half have never had a student accepted.
To break down barriers to medicine, 2,000 young people from England’s most deprived areas will be supported to apply to university through government-funded medicine access courses over the next three years. Support includes giving young people access to summer schools or placements within the NHS, where they can increase their knowledge and skills, boosting their university applications.
“There are still too many talented young people who don’t pursue careers in healthcare because they feel those paths aren’t open to them,” said minister for skills Jacqui Smith.
“Aspiration and hard work should decide a young person’s future, and access to training for careers in medicine cannot remain just for the privileged few,” she added.
Welcome commitment
Backed by £65.4 million, the government has unlocked 2,000 additional nursing apprenticeships, concentrated in areas facing the greatest training shortages and highest levels of deprivation. These earn-while-you-learn opportunities will help people build skilled, well-paid careers without needing to leave their communities or take on upfront costs.
Talented students from under-represented backgrounds will be able to apply to courses from spring next year, working with NHS England and partners like the Sutton Trust, Social Mobility Foundation and Medical Schools Council.
The government will also expand or reallocate medical school places so that areas with poorer health outcomes or ageing populations train more doctors locally, alongside a pledge to increase by 50% the proportion of students who received free school meals being accepted into medical school in England by 2035.
To support doctors from disadvantaged backgrounds who face higher relocation costs, the government has said that it will also trial a three-year pilot programme that will see resident doctors stay in one place for longer, easing the financial burden and disruption to family life.
Alongside these measures, £15 million in government funding will expand a programme to support around 3,000 young people from deprived communities into NHS entry-level roles or training for vital back office roles.
“Today, only a tiny proportion of medical students come from working-class families, so this announcement is a welcome commitment to change. The NHS needs brilliant professionals from all backgrounds, and we all benefit from having an NHS that looks more like the communities it serves,” said Sutton Trust chief executive Nick Harrison.
