Funding available for nurse-led project in Scotland

The RCN Foundation has announced funding for a nurse-led project in Scotland that seeks to develop equitable access to practice learning experiences for undergraduate learning disability nursing students, including developing new and non-traditional practice placement settings that reflect emerging roles of learning disability nursing.

This project will aim to grow practice placement capacity for undergraduate learning disability nursing students across Scotland, enhancing their experience whilst reducing attrition rates from programmes, with the view to growing the learning disability nursing workforce in Scotland. This will ultimately aim to address health inequality and improve health related quality of life outcomes for people with lived experience of a learning disability in Scotland.

Background

The RCN Foundation’s Inclusive Health - Enhancing the lives of individuals with learning disabilities grant-making programme provides grants to support nurse-led research and professional development to address health inequalities and improve health related quality of life outcomes for individuals with lived experience of a learning disability.

Like the rest of the UK, Scotland is facing challenges with the recruitment of undergraduate learning disability nursing students. One of the greatest challenges is the suitable and accessible practice placement settings for students studying learning disability nursing. This can further impact the workforce in localities, and contribute to the health inequalities people with lived experience of a learning disability experience.