Proposed academic job losses at Cardiff University have been scaled back from from 400 to 286, its Vice Chancellor has confirmed. Professor Wendy Larner said that all staff in the university's schools of maths and chemistry have had the threat of redundancy lifted, but 1,307 full time posts across the institution still remain at risk.

In an update on proposed cuts in the face of a £31 million plus deficit Professor Larner also said that alternative proposals for the nursing school, which will see fewer students studying there, are on the table, rather than closure. That plan depends on agreement from the Welsh Government and others, she said.

There has been widespread opposition to the university's proposed cuts since they were first announced at the start of a 90-day consultation in January. Initially, 400 academic jobs were to go along with the closure of degree courses and academic schools including nursing, modern languages, music, ancient history, translation, religion, and theology. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here

On Thursday, April 10, all staff in the maths and chemistry departments were told they have been removed from threat of redundancy. Cardiff University will not close its school of nursing, as initially proposed, if alternative proposals now being looked at, are agreed.

However, the school would take fewer students in future and courses could be cut and changed, the university's management said. Students already on degree courses would be able to see them through to the end.

Removing the maths and chemistry departments from the cuts consultation means that there is now a total of 1,307 staff in the pool for redundancy across the university, down from 1,807 at the start of the consultation, Professor Larner said. A total of 81 staff have applied and been accepted for voluntary redundancy - this means the university now proposes to cut 286 full-time academic jobs, rather than 400 it proposed at the beginning of the consultation in January.

On the school of nursing, the Vice Chancellor said: "There is an alternative proposal for nursing that would see us retain adult, child and mental health nursing, albeit recruiting smaller numbers of undergraduates. The proposal focuses on improving the student experience and thus the progression through the degree programmes, ensuring that as many well-trained graduates join the NHS programme as possible at the end of their degree.

"We will be looking to broaden the routes into that degree programme to ensure widening participation, potentially by adding a foundation year. Acceptance of this alternative proposal is contingent on securing approval from Welsh Government, the NHS and Health Education and Improvement Wales – and this is complex because what we do affects the NHS workforce across Wales - but we are hopeful that we can arrive at a solution that safeguards nursing provision at Cardiff."

Professor Stephen Riley, Pro Vice Chancellor of the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences said in a message to staff that the plans now are for a smaller nursing school with fewer courses and staff. He said any proposal needs to "protect the future pipeline of nursing graduates to ensure a consistent supply of well-trained nurses for the NHS in Wales and beyond".

He told staff: "I am pleased to say that there is an alternative proposal that provides a credible alternative plan, addressing the issues of academic and financial sustainability for all three of our nursing professions and which has outline support from key stakeholders but needs to have the implications for the wider sector worked through.

"We are operating in a complex system, and this does take some time to agree and manage. The alternative proposes that we will teach smaller undergraduate nursing cohorts than currently, with the degree programmes reshaped to significantly enhance the teaching and learning experience offered to our students."

Responding to the news the Royal College of Nursing Wales said trust had been lost, experienced staff have left and the nursing school, if saved, would be smaller. The RCN said that while it has not seen the detail of the revised plan it at least allows for a supply of nurses into the NHS in Wales.

The RCN said in a statement: "The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), like many students and staff members at Cardiff University, is relieved to hear that nurse education will continue, but is bitterly disappointed that the actions taken since the proposal were not taken much sooner.

"The proposal has insulted the nursing profession and now Cardiff University must demonstrate its commitment to value the nursing profession and support students and staff following what has been a very distressing period. The scale of the cuts to student places and academic staff remains unclear and while Cardiff University says this will allow for a sustainable pipeline of newly qualified nurses into NHS Wales, the RCN has not seen this detail."

Helen Whyley, executive director of the RCN in Wales said: "Cardiff University’s decision to keep its nursing provision is absolutely the right thing to do. The RCN vehemently opposed the proposed closure, which would have had a devastating impact on nurse staffing levels, the education of future nurses, and the quality of patient care across Wales.

"However, we are disappointed to learn that many staff have taken voluntary redundancy and that the provision going forwards will be smaller. Ultimately Cardiff University will be training fewer nurses at a time when we crucially need to be growing the workforce in Wales."

The uncertainty since January has led to "a mass exodus of staff" taking with them the skills and expertise needed for the future of nursing in Wales, Ms Whyley warned.

Responding to the scaled back cuts proposal the Cardiff University branch of the University College Union said it was not enough and was still uncertain in any case, as nothing had been agreed. More than 1,000 staff still have the risk of redundancy hanging over them and 286 jobs will be shed on top of those already gone.

The UCU said a summer of disruptive industrial action will follow if there are any compulsory redundancies. Members balloted on industrial action have backed strike and action short of strike, including a marking boycott which could disrupt graduations.

While it welcomed the hope that nursing programmes will be safe, the UCU said that was not certain.

“We are relieved for the very small number of staff that have been taken out of scope for redundancy," the union said in a statement, "we also welcome the overall reduction in proposed staff cuts and the very early-stage news that there may be some hope for nursing programmes.

“But today’s news is not good enough. It is unforgivable that so many of our members remain in fear for their livelihoods, especially when other sensible, evidence-based options are on the table. As we have argued from the start, compulsory redundancies are avoidable if the university dials back its overly ambitious and unnecessary money-making targets, and draws on its hundreds of millions in available cash to fund a more gradual recovery. Instead, it still favours a rushed, slash-and-burn approach."

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