• Health secretary Jeremy Hunt announces funding for an additional 5,000 student nurse placements.
• Steps to improve working conditions for the NHS workforce were also unveiled in Conservative Party conference address.
• We say a flexible approach to staff training and development will be essential in meeting the difficulties we face.

The health secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced a 25% increase in training posts for nurses, equating to an additional 5,000 nursing placements.

He also announced funding to train a further 5,500 nursing associates to train each year by 2019.

The Health Secretary also announced steps to improve working conditions for the NHS workforce including new flexible working arrangements, a new system of staff banks and a scheme which will give NHS workers first refusal on affordable homes built on surplus NHS land.

Responding to the nursing workforce measures announced by the health secretary, the chief executive of the NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said:

“Worries over staffing are the number one concern for many NHS trusts. Over time, these changes should have a positive impact.

“We support the expansion of new routes into nursing. A flexible approach to staff training and development will be essential in meeting the difficulties we face.

A flexible approach to staff training and development will be essential in meeting the difficulties we face.

“The planned increase in nursing students is timely given existing shortages and difficulties presented by Brexit.

“The NHS faces a range of workforce challenges. We look forward to working with the health secretary to address these in the coming months.”