Nursing and other trainees

WQ.140/2026

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHAIR OF THE STATES EMPLOYMENT BOARD BY DEPUTY H.L. JEUNE OF ST. JOHN, ST. LAWRENCE AND TRINITY
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 6th JULY 2026

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 13th JULY 2026

Question

"Will the Chair advise –

1. whether  trainee  nurses  (including  those  undertaking  pre-registration  nursing  degrees  or apprenticeships sponsored by, or placed with, Health and Care Jersey) are paid during their training, and if so, at what rate and under what terms;
2. whether other clinical or healthcare trainees (such as trainee midwives, paramedics, or allied health professionals) receive the same or comparable rates and terms;
3. how the pay, terms and conditions of trainee nurses compare with those of trainees in other frontline public sector roles, including (but not limited to) the States of Jersey Police and the Fire and Rescue Service, specifically whether they are paid a salary, a training allowance or are unpaid during their training period; and
4. where there is any disparity between the treatment of trainee nurses and trainees in other frontline public sector roles, why that is the case and whether any assessment has been made of its impact on nurse recruitment and retention in Jersey?"

Answer

1. Trainee nurses in Health and Care Jersey are not paid, as they are full-time undergraduate students. They are eligible to apply for the Government's student maintenance grant and the additional clinical grant, both of which are means-tested.

This approach is consistent with Nursing and Midwifery Council-accredited, non-apprenticeship nursing  courses  throughout  the  UK.  There  are  also  apprenticeship  pathways  in  Jersey  for Healthcare Assistants at Levels 2 and 3.

2. All trainee nurses, midwives and operating department practitioners are full-time undergraduate students, as outlined above.

Radiography students (currently two in training) and paramedic students (due to start in September) are apprenticeship students and are therefore paid during their training. We are also exploring both apprenticeship and non-apprenticeship routes for other Allied Health Professional roles.

This approach is consistent with Health and Care Professional Council- approved courses in the UK, which offer both routes to accommodate school leavers, career changers and existing staff seeking career development opportunities.

3. Pay scales for all pay groups are published on gov.je Public Sector payscales. Terms and conditions for trainee roles in other frontline professions vary according to the nature of the role. A training allowance is not paid to these groups because they are directly employed by the States Employment Board and receive a salary while undertaking their training. Unlike trainee nurses, they are not full- time undergraduate students and are therefore paid as employees during their training period.
4. Pay, terms and conditions of employment vary across pay groups due to differences in job requirements. Variations may include overtime arrangements, shift allowances, on-call payments, annual leave entitlements and career progression structures.

In addition, separate collective bargaining arrangements exist with the recognised Trade Unions, meaning that negotiation and agreement are required before any changes can be made to terms and conditions.

All roles within the Government of Jersey are evaluated to determine the relative value of different jobs across the organisation. The primary purpose of this process is to provide a fair, consistent and evidence-based framework for establishing pay levels and grading structures.