Expand access to financial support for pharmacy students, says Royal College

Financial support for pharmacy students must be expanded to ensure equitable access to training, the Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm) has said.

The College has joined with the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA) and Pharmacy Schools Council to call on the government to give pharmacy students comparable access to the training and development support provided to other healthcare professionals.

The organisations wrote to the previous government in September 2023, asking for the inclusion of pharmacy students in some elements of the Learning Support Fund – which provides additional funding for eligible healthcare students.

As a result, the government permitted pharmacy students to claim reimbursement for clinical placement expenses through the Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses element of Fund from 1 September 2025.

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The RCPharm, BPSA and Pharmacy Schools Council are now requesting pharmacy student access to all elements of the fund, including a training grant, parental support, and an exceptional support fund.

In a joint letter to health minister Karin Smyth, the pharmacy organisations said: ‘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. 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.’

This is particularly important given the growing clinical role pharmacists play in the health service, the organisations added.

The NHS estimates that education and training places for pharmacists need to increase by 31-55% to meet the demand for pharmacy services and deliver the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, the letter said.

It concluded: ‘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.’

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.

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‘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.’

RCPharm England chair Professor Mahendra Patel said: ‘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.’

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

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Nuffield Trust analysis of General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) data recently found that pharmacy placement providers in England receive less funding than those in Scotland and Wales – an estimated £20 per day per student in England compared to £120 in Wales and £150 in Scotland.

And data gathered from one university in Scotland suggested that all applicants were offered a place on the independent prescribing course, while data from two universities in England showed that the number of applicants relative to the number of places available on IP courses had increased since 2023.

Last month, NHS England announced that it would be funding independent prescribing (IP) training places for general practice and community pharmacists in England.