Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the #LiveableNHSBursary campaign led by medical students, which includes calls for access to full maintenance loans for medical students in line with other professional healthcare courses, access to the NHS Learning Support Fund for medical students and a review of Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses, in light of the cost of living crisis.
The #LiveableNHSBursary campaign is focused on the situation faced by latter years medical students studying in England which is something we are unable to comment on. Scottish domiciled medical students are eligible for the standard student support package which is comprised of tuition fees and living cost support throughout all 5 or 6 years of their medical degree. Furthermore in February 2002 a £350 loan uplift for 2022-23 for higher education students was announced. This means that the most disadvantaged students can access £8,100 per year through bursary and loan and the Scottish Government remains committed that the total student support package reaches the equivalent of the Living Wage over the next three years.
In Scotland medical ACT is currently used to fund Travel and Subsistence for students in all regions and this is monitored in light of the changing economic climate and impact of locus of student placements in remote/rural settings.