NURSE training places will increase in 2016-17 as part of an £85 million investment package into the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Training places will rise by 135 to 1,418, an increase of 10 per cent, on top of the 22 per cent increase in 2015-16. This will be the highest level of nurse training places in Wales since devolution.

The £85 million investment package by the Welsh Government also includes:

• An increase of more than 10 per cent in physiotherapy training places, on top of the 26 per cent increase in 2015-16;

• An increase of more than 10 per cent in diagnostic radiography training places, on top of the 26 per cent in 2015-16 and a five per cent rise in therapeutic radiographers;

• Last year the Welsh Government increased the number of places available for clinical scientists by 52 per cent and this year will be expanding investment in healthcare science programmes, including additional training places in genomics, medical physics, biomedical engineering, molecular pathology, bioinformatics, microbiology and lab genetics;

• Investment to support the development of healthcare support workers will increase to £1.5 million. This will help people gain the right knowledge and skills to deliver care and support career development;

• The package of funding will enable 2,697 new students to undertake education and training programmes in 2016-17 compared to 2,498 in 2015-16. Including those who will be continuing their education this means the total number of students and training places for 2016-17 is 7,384 compared to 6,881 in 2015-16.

As well as training new entrants, this investment will fund training opportunities for existing staff to build their skills and ensure opportunities exist for individuals who, for a variety of reasons, have taken a break from their careers.

The number of people directly employed by NHS Wales now stands at 84,000, an increase of a third since 1999.