Wales graduate streamlining scheme to end

As the NHS bursary was retained in Wales, Health Education Improvement Wales (HEIW) created ‘streamlining’  to avoid the risk of losing bursary recipients to England when they graduated.

The scheme placed graduates into jobs across Wales on leaving university but was marred with administrative issues resulting in increased stress for students and managers. 

The CSP had opposed the introduction of the scheme on the basis it was also restricted to students from Welsh institutions only, blocking students and the workforce from outside of Wales from applying to work there.

Over the past three years the CSP had lobbied the two ministers for health, the Senedd health committee, civil servants, and HEIW to roll back the scheme and consult on a way forward.  Other AHP professions held the same view and the respective professional bodies in Wales worked collectively to respond to the streamlining evaluation for 2022.

CSP public affairs and policy manager for Wales, Calum Higgins, said:

This is great news for future physiotherapists in Wales. We had been very concerned about the damaging nature of the scheme on the reputation of the profession and the blocking of graduates from outside of Wales.

'We’d like to thank HEIW for listening and thank the whole range of stakeholders who have worked together on this, including managers, students representatives, and the other AHP professional bodies.'

Following the evaluation and lobbying, the CSP will now concentrate on ensuring next year’s graduates are given a clear way of applying for band 5 posts in Wales. 

According to the HEIW decision letter: “HEIW will conduct a series of Q and A sessions in early October, to inform final year students and course tutors how students can apply for employment in Wales following completion of their studies.”