Received from: College of Podiatry
Merged into composite C08
This Congress notes with concern the growing pressures on university finances and the serious impact this is having on their capacity to deliver sufficient courses for allied health professionals (AHPs), including podiatrists. We call on the government to urgently intervene before long-term damage is done.
The government’s own 10-year plan rightly highlights the need for the NHS to focus more on prevention to reduce demand on acute services. AHPs are ideally placed to deliver this preventative agenda, yet funding for those wishing to train in these critical roles, including through apprenticeships, is being cut. This makes it increasingly difficult for prospective students to access courses, undermining the workforce pipeline.
Smaller professions such as podiatry are disproportionately affected. As a field already experiencing a worrying decline in numbers, the continued erosion of training opportunities will have devastating consequences for patient care, particularly in areas like diabetes management, falls prevention and maintaining mobility and independence.
We therefore call on Congress to support efforts to secure sustainable funding for universities and for AHP education. We also call for increased bursaries, grants and apprenticeship support to remove financial barriers for those wishing to pursue these essential careers.
Finally, we urge the TUC to work with health unions, professional bodies and student organisations to lobby the government to safeguard and expand training places, ensuring our communities continue to benefit from high-quality, preventative healthcare delivered by well-trained AHPs.
Royal College of Podiatry
Amendment
In paragraph 2, after “…undermining the workforce pipeline.”, insert:
“When AHP students are able to graduate, they are now facing widespread recruitment freezes and delays in filling vacancies.
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy