The Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm) in England has joined with the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA) and the Pharmacy Schools Council to call on the government to expand pharmacy student access to financial support already available to other health professions.

Writing jointly to Health Minister Karin Smyth MP, the letter calls for pharmacy students to have equal access to all elements of the Learning Support Fund, building on the current offer of travel and accommodation expenses for clinical placements.

With the NHS estimating that education and training places for pharmacists need to grow by 31–55% to meet the demand for pharmacy services, and with pharmacists playing a more clinical role in the health service, the letter highlights the need for pharmacy students to have equitable access to the training and development support provided to other healthcare professions.

An online petition calling on the government to fully include pharmacy students in the Learning Support Fund closes on 2 June. Read the PJ article here.

Following an earlier joint letter to the previous government in September 2023, the then Royal Pharmaceutical Society called for action on the Learning Support Fund in its evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s inquiry into pharmacy.

RCPharm England Chair Mahendra Patel said:

“The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan highlights the need to boost training places to meet growing demand for pharmacy services. As we ask pharmacists to do more, this must be backed by enhanced and equitable support for education and professional development. With continued pressures on the NHS, pharmacy students should not face unjust financial barriers at the very start of their career, if we are to make the most of all the health professions to support patient care.”

BPSA President Martina Aikon said:

“In a cost-of-living crisis, thousands of pharmacy students face financial pressures and are often unable to access opportunities and resources afforded to other healthcare professions. As an Association, we believe full inclusion in the Learning Support Fund is imperative in providing equitable support for MPharm students. As the clinical and prescribing responsibilities of pharmacists continue to grow, it is only fair that pharmacy students have access to the additional support they deserve.”

Pharmacy Schools Council Chair Prof Barrie Kellam said:

“Pharmacy education has shifted decisively towards enhanced frontline clinical training, yet funding remains behind other health professions. While this year’s progress is welcome, it remains insufficient. Patient safety depends on pharmacists trained in clinical decision-making and the scientific understanding of medicines that underpins safe prescribing and use. Policymakers must therefore fund these essential elements to protect patients and secure our future workforce.”

Funding for pharmacy students varies with devolved policy across England, Scotland and Wales.

Read the letter below:

Dear Minister,

As you may know, the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association, Pharmacy Schools Council and the then Royal Pharmaceutical Society wrote to your predecessor under the previous Government to call for the inclusion of pharmacy students in the Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses element of the Learning Support Fund. The RPS highlighted this in our meeting following the general election and we welcomed the constructive discussions with officials in the Department and NHS England.

We are delighted that pharmacy students can now access elements of the Learning Support Fund. This is a very positive first step and a welcome recognition by the Government of the crucial role of pharmacists in the future NHS.

We would now look for the Government to build on this and enable pharmacy student access to other aspects of the Learning Support Fund, which includes a Training Grant, Parental Support, and an Exceptional Support Fund. Alongside removing unjust barriers to choosing pharmacy, this would give students the flexibility to engage with wider professional development opportunities to further enhance their clinical skills.

As the pharmacy degree has evolved to include a greater emphasis on clinical practice and prescribing, pharmacy schools are delivering a growing number of clinical placements across a range of care settings and geographies. The NHS previously estimated that education and training places for pharmacists need to grow by 31–55% to meet the demand for pharmacy services^[1].

Delivering the 10-Year Health Plan, including developing new approaches to neighbourhood health, will depend on making the most of the whole of the NHS workforce.

As pharmacists play a growing clinical role in the health service, they must be given comparable access to the training and development support provided to other healthcare professions. Students, including those with parental responsibilities, should not face additional financial barriers to choosing pharmacy.

As the Government develops a new workforce plan, we would welcome your commitment to remove this inequity and ensure that pharmacy students can access the support they need.

Yours sincerely,

Martina Aikon

President

British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

Prof Barrie Kellam FRCPharm

Chair

Pharmacy Schools Council

Prof Mahendra G Patel OBE FRCPharm

Chair, English Pharmacy Advisory Council

Royal College of Pharmacy