To ask the Minister of Health why the £2,000 payment being given to students on non-salaried clinical placements across all year groups excludes medical students in training to be doctors; and whether a full impact assessment of this exclusion has been completed.

I have repeatedly emphasised my appreciation of the contribution made by all employees and students across Health and Social Care during the unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinical placements for medical students, which do not commence largely until Year 3 of their undergraduate programme, are qualitatively different from other healthcare professions. My priority has been to support these students to progress on their undergraduate programme despite the limitations of COVID-19 protocols and over 2020/21 my Department will be investing over £31m to ensure that they can continue to undertake their learning on placement under clinical supervision.

I am also aware that many medical students have directly contributed to addressing the challenges presented by COVID-19 by taking up paid medical student technician and other healthcare assistant roles created by the HSC Trusts during this emergency. Individuals employed in these roles for a minimum of one month during the period 27 March 2020 to 31 January 2021 will be entitled to access the HSC £500 Staff Bonus Scheme on a proportionate basis.

The flat rate, one-off, special recognition payment I recently announced applies to specific pre-registration programmes where clinical placements are qualitatively different from those of medicine students.