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The latest announcements, press releases and media coverage from University Alliance.

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  1. Universities, the NHS, and health workforce transformation

    February 5, 2024

    This article was originally published in Wonkhe. Working alongside the NHS requires universities to constantly be adapting. The relationship between universities and the health and social care sector can be described as evolutionary. For decades, nurses were trained directly on wards, with schools of nursing traditionally hosted by individual hospitals. Training began to move towards higher education in the mid-1990s, but it took until 2009 for a…

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  2. ‘Let’s Get Technical’: University Alliance publishes five policy asks for the next Government

    September 29, 2023

    Note: in July 2024, following the election of a new Labour government, University Alliance has published an updated publication Let’s Get Technical: The First 100 Days. This sets out our recommendations for the government’s first 100 days in office, and in the long-term. University Alliance, an association of the UK’s leading professional and technical universities, has today (Friday 29 September) published ‘Let’s Get Technical: How to harness th…

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    Film students photographed - the Let's Get Technical campaign image

  3. University Alliance responds to the publication of the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan

    June 30, 2023

    In response to the publication of NHS England’s Long-Term Workforce Plan, the CEO of University Alliance Vanessa Wilson said: “We are pleased and relieved that this plan has now been published. This will allow universities to commit to more long-term planning and expand their teaching offer. There are challenges that must be overcome to really scale up healthcare education, but we believe our universities have the solutions. We want to work as cl…

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  4. University Alliance responds to the Hewitt Review

    April 4, 2023

    In response to the Hewitt Review, our Head of Policy Susanna Kalitowski said: “We welcome Patricia Hewitt’s review of integrated care systems. In response, the government should produce a strategy for the social care workforce, complementary to the NHS workforce plan, as soon as possible. The review emphasises the value of collaboration in planning the future healthcare workforce. University Alliance has called for universities and colleges to be…

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    Nursing simulation at the University of Derby

  5. University Alliance responds to the NMC’s announcement on simulated learning in nursing training

    January 25, 2023

    Responding to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s announcement to permanently allow up to 600 hours of clinical placements to take place in simulated settings during nursing training, University Alliance CEO Vanessa Wilson said: “This announcement by the Nursing and Midwifery Council is both timely and welcome. It recognises how universities are innovating by using simulated facilities and techniques to deliver high-quality nursing training. Thro…

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    Using Virtual Reality headsets at Middlesex University

  6. University leaders respond to Shadow Chancellor’s pledge to grow number of nurses

    September 26, 2022

    University Alliance has responded to Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement today regarding university places for medical and nursing students. Vanessa Wilson, CEO of the Alliance, said: “As the group of universities which collectively train the largest number of nurses in the UK, we are delighted that the Shadow Chancellor has recognised the need to significantly grow the number of nurses we train. The issue of how to effectively train mo…

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    Student nurses

  7. Alliance universities set to play a vital role in the UK’s recovery from the pandemic

    March 31, 2021

    The 12 universities that make up the University Alliance group will help power a national economic, social and cultural recovery from COVID-19, according to a new campaign launched today. These universities will deliver the skills, ideas and innovations needed to generate the pillars of growth for an economic recovery that will see communities across the country thrive once again, the campaign ‘Powering the UK’s Future’ will say. Calling for high…

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  8. UA responds to NMC update on placements

    January 14, 2021

    The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have today announced they will reintroduce emergency education standards to enable final year nursing students to opt-in to support the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, via extended clinical placement. Responding to the news, Professor Debra Humphris, University of Brighton Vice Chancellor and Chair of University Alliance said: “Alliance universities have played a vital role in supporting the local and na…

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  9. UA responds to updated DfE guidelines for universities

    September 10, 2020

    UA CEO Vanessa Wilson, responding to today’s updated government guidance for universities: “Alliance universities are doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure that their campuses are Covid-secure and that their students are aware of and observe all relevant guidelines both on and off campus. “They have continued to go above and beyond, remaining incredibly flexible to do everything in their power to support students, staff and our commun…

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  10. HEE funding boost a positive first step in addressing placement availability

    August 27, 2020

    Responding to Health Education England’s (HEE) funding boost to increase clinical placements in the NHS, University Alliance CEO Vanessa Wilson said: “University Alliance welcomes this additional funding boost in what is a positive first step in addressing placement availability for our members. Placements are an essential part of any healthcare student’s journey to becoming professionally qualified, and an important opportunity to apply their kn…

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