Student nurses say they are not being given adequate financial protection including life cover while they deal with the growing number of Covid-19 cases each day.
BBC’s Newsbeat has spoken to a number of student medics who are on unpaid placements as part of their training – and because they are not being paid, they have no death in service cover.
The trainee nurses say the situation is causing anxiety and stress for them and their families.
The Department of Health & Social Care said it is “immensely grateful” to the students for their work.
A DHSC spokesperson said: “While they are in clinical training, they should be an addition to the normal team and undertake clinical learning under supervision.”
During the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 students could either opt out of hospital placements, or join the NHS under paid contracts.
This then meant they were covered by the The NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme which was set up to acknowledge the extra risk frontline workers face during the crisis, with families offered a payment of £60,000 if an NHS or social care worker dies from coronavirus, contracted at work.
But when paid contracts ended in September when pressure on the health service initially eased, that benefit ended for many students.
The DHSC spokesperson said that individuals who are not automatically eligible for the Coronavirus Life Assurance scheme can still be considered.
Newsbeat reporter Rachel Stonehouse spoke to “Lizzy” – a student nurse who did not want to give her real name – who explained the stress and anxiety that is taking its toll on her colleagues.
Lizzy said: “It’s so busy right now. We’re doing long shifts and it’s exhausting. At times it does feel quite overwhelming.
“Essentially we are putting our lives at risk with no backing or benefit”.
The Newsbeat report is available here.