16 June 2006

Future of nurse education in Fife - joint statement

Joint statement by the University of Dundee, The Adam Smith College, NHS Fife, the Chief Nursing Officer and NHS Education for Scotland

** Embargoed until Friday June 16 2006 at 12.01am**

The University of Dundee, The Adam Smith College, NHS Fife, the Chief Nursing Officer at the Scottish Executive and NHS Education for Scotland have given careful consideration to the draft document issued by the University of Dundee early in May 2006 and to the views expressed by various stakeholders since the paper was issued.

All five organisations are committed to nurse education in Fife and to enhancing the quality of provision where possible.

The organisations recognise that a partnership between the University of Dundee and The Adam Smith College could yield substantial benefits both in terms of the quality of the experience offered to nursing students in Fife and the efficient use of available resources. Such a partnership would involve the College in managing the learning context provided to the students, and in giving nursing students access to the services and infrastructure it provides to the other 4,000 higher education students at the College.

At the same time, the five organisations recognise that in order to retain the approval of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the nursing programme must be delivered by registered nurse teachers who are employed and managed by the University of Dundee. The University of Dundee must retain responsibility for delivering the programme, which will be monitored by NHS Education for Scotland on behalf of the Nursing and Midwifery Council to ensure that it meets the required standards. These requirements will also remain a condition of the contract between the Scottish Executive and the University of Dundee.

The five organisations are agreed that the theoretical components of years 1 and 2 of the University of Dundee nursing programme should continue to be offered in both Dundee and Kirkcaldy. However, they recognise that there would be benefits - both in terms of the educational experience of students and in terms of efficient use of resources - of delivering the theoretical component of the year 3 (approximately one day a week during semester time) in one location, namely in Dundee.

Following the consultation exercise, the joint conclusions of the University of Dundee, The Adam Smith College, NHS Fife, the Chief Nursing Officer and NHS Education for Scotland are therefore as follows:

• The University of Dundee will continue to provide nurse education in Fife.
• Nursing students will continue to matriculate with the University of Dundee.
• Registered nurse teachers who are employed and managed by the University of Dundee will deliver the nurse education programme.
• The University of Dundee and The Adam Smith College will work together to create, from September 2007, an enhanced learning context for nursing students in Fife. The parameters of that learning environment will be worked out over the coming months. They will be subject to agreement on financial and management arrangements, further consultation with stakeholders and approval by the governing bodies of the College and University.
• For all students who begin their studies in September 2007 or thereafter, the theoretical component of Year 3 of the University of Dundee nursing programme will be delivered only in Dundee.

For more information contact:

Hilary McNally
Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: h.mcnally@dundee.ac.uk