Future health workers say they remain committed to the NHS

Three second-year students at the University of Suffolk studying physiotherapy and nursing told BBC Politics East they are committed to careers in the NHS while acknowledging pressures such as Covid backlogs and an ageing population.

Three students at the University of Suffolk in Ipswich say they plan to begin careers in the NHS and remain committed despite known pressures on the service. The BBC's Politics East programme spoke with two physiotherapy students and one adult nursing student about their motivations and concerns. Each described a desire to help patients and accepted that NHS work can be demanding. They also referenced broader pressures including the impact of Covid and a growing ageing population. What we know: - BBC Politics East interviewed three second-year students at the University of Suffolk in Ipswich: two studying physiotherapy and one studying adult nursing. - The students named in the report are Amy Prendergast, 19, a second-year physiotherapy student from Southend; Phil Powell, 26, a second-year physiotherapy student from Newmarket; and Serenu Vite, 27, a second-year adult nursing student from Ipswich. - They said they want to help people regain independence, and that working in the NHS is rewarding despite being busy and sometimes stressful. - The students acknowledged system-level pressures, mentioning the Covid-related backlog and a growing elderly population as challenges. - The interview was part of a BBC Politics East feature due to be broadcast on 25 January at 10:00 GMT on BBC One in the East of England and made available afterwards on BBC iPlayer. Summary: The accounts underline that incoming health workers are aware of current service pressures but express a clear commitment to patient care. The remarks point to motivations and concerns among a small group of trainees; wider implications for NHS staffing and services are undetermined at this time.