IT costs the NHS £70k to train a nurse, we are told.
NHS nurses are highly sought after across the world, where, in many countries they can earn considerably more than they can working for the NHS.
Little wonder then that about two thirds of NHS trainee nurses say they are considering working abroad, or in the private sector, when their training is complete. Little wonder too that our hospitals struggle to keep enough nurses to meet demand.
If this farce of a government paid our NHS heroines and heroes what they deserved, trained nurses would be far more likely to stay with the NHS, and, as a consequence, we wouldn't need to train thousands more every year at £70k a time.
Brian Derbyshire
Ribchester Grove
Bolton
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here