'Such a let-down' - healthcare students on NHS recruitment squeeze

'Such a let-down' - healthcare students on NHS recruitment squeeze1 hour agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleEleri GriffithsBBC WalesChloe HurstChloe says there are currently no Band 5 physiotherapy jobs available in Wales"A career for life" - this is what many students were told when applying for healthcare degrees.But a week ago, a trainee paramedic spoke to the BBC about how she is now looking for work abroad because of a recruitment freeze in Wales. The story resonated with many people, and dozens studying midwifery, physiotherapy, nursing and other healthcare degrees got in touch, saying they too felt they had been left in limbo. It has now been announced university-run paramedic courses in Wales will be paused from September because there are not enough jobs available.The Paramedic Science courses are currently run at Swansea University and Wrexham University.The HEIW said the decision, made with the Welsh government and the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust (WAST), was "to reduce competition for vacancies over the next few years" and "improve employment opportunities".WAST confirmed recruitment of more paramedics will be "extremely limited this year, reflecting a wider UK trend".The Welsh and UK governments said they are working with universities, health boards and graduates to get people into work. Students in England and Scotland also described how they feared there would be no jobs for them at the end of their degrees, with one woman describing how her heart breaks for her son, who is working in Starbucks and considering moving to Canada so he can use his physiotherapy degree.Emma CoomerEmma gave up a full-time job thinking nursing would give her children a better life "It's awful, it's such a let-down. So disappointing," said Emma Coomer, 41, from Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, who left a full-time job with a good wage and regular hours at a GP practice to study for a nursin...