UK universities can move quickly to support the new government’s plans to train thousands of new public sector workers, but only if the “worthless” rhetoric of the previous administration is abandoned in favour of a more conducive policy environment, according to vice-chancellors.

Within days of Labour returning to power, the University of Worcester added 100 new places to its teacher training courses for September in the hope that new education secretary Bridget Phillipson’s plans to recruit 6,500 new teachers would translate into more admissions.

Universities that run medical schools were also making the case that to “fix the front door of the NHS” – the stated aim of new health secretary Wes Streeting – caps on admissions should be raised, an idea the new minister supported in opposition.

“We can begin training more doctors, teachers and other highly skilled professionals immediately,” said David Green, Worcester’s vice-chancellor.

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Universities across the board have seen declines in applications to courses such as nursing and teaching in recent years, in part due to these careers being associated with low pay and long hours.

Professor Green said ministers’ renewed “emphasis on the enormously positive societal value of these careers” was “already helping” to increase interest and said more “national messaging and campaigning particularly directed at those aged between 18 and 35” would make a difference as soon as September, adding that “anything that could be done to improve student financial support will be a big benefit”.

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The University of Sunderland, like Worcester, is home to one of a tranche of new medical schools to open in recent years, but leaders have argued that the small number of places they have been allocated by the government was hampering their ability to meet the demand for doctors.

Sir David Bell, Sunderland’s vice-chancellor and a former permanent secretary at the Department for Education, said the government needed a clear plan to train and retain more doctors across the country and universities such as his “should be in the vanguard of such an expansion”.

“Yet, the soaring rhetoric of the previous government about doubling the number of medical school places turned out, like so much else it said, to be a worthless commitment,” he added.

Sunderland had submitted a “bold and audacious bid” to triple the size of its medical school by the end of the decade, but had received a “paltry” 17 additional places – on top of its current capped limit of 100 per year – for 2025-26 entry, he said. 

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The university’s first cohort of medical students had just graduated, with more than half taking up roles in the NHS in the north east. “I know that we can do more, but we need to have a long-term funding commitment from government to help develop this critical workforce,” said Sir David.

Rama Thirunamachandran, vice-chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University, said there was a need for the new government to “connect the dots” and recognise the role that higher education could play in meeting its priorities in healthcare, teaching and other areas.

“To be able to do that we have to have a funding model in those areas, if not more widely, which works to promote and incentivise people to come in and train for these professions,” he said.

There was a need for “more creative approaches”, added Professor Thirunamachandran, such as considering loan forgiveness for students who go into work in the NHS or teach in state schools.

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tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com