In News

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

A petition launched to put pressure on Labour to give pharmacy students in England training and support grants to help them complete their studies has surpassed 6,000 signatures. 

The petition, started by pharmacy student Zeenat Nosheen Akmal, calls on the Government to give pharmacy students full access to the NHS Learning Support Fund to allow them to apply for a training grant of £5,000 per academic year or pro-rata amount for part-time students.

Students on certain courses can also get a “special subject payment” worth an extra £1,000 while those who have at least one dependant child aged under 15, or under 17 if registered with special educational needs, can receive a parental support grant of £2,000 per academic year.

However, pharmacy is not on the list of courses for which this support is available. That list includes dental therapy, dietetics, midwifery, nursing, orthoptics and physiotherapy.

A step in the right direction but it is not enough

Last year, pharmacy students secured access to travel and dual accommodation expenses through the fund after students wrote to their MPs during a campaign for fairer funding led by Pharmacists’ Defence Association student representatives.

In a post on LinkedIn, Akmal said that although travel and accommodation support is “a step in the right direction, it is not enough”.

“It requires students to front significant costs and wait weeks for reimbursement,” she said, revealing she spent £75 in travel expenses to attend a placement.

“Many students are placed far from home for extended periods, sometimes up to four weeks. While I was fortunate to afford this, many simply cannot.

“Having to find up to £100-plus at short notice is a real barrier. This is exactly why full access to the Learning Support Fund is essential, to ensure pharmacy students are not financially disadvantaged while undertaking one of the most demanding healthcare degrees.”

Calling on Labour “to extend the NHS Learning Fund to fully include pharmacy students to ensure fairness and encourage entry into the NHS”, the petition said their access to travel reimbursement “does not address the wider financial struggles they face”.

“The (pharmacy) degree is highly intensive and can leave little time for paid work,” it said. “Extending the NHS Learning Support Fund could help reduce hardship, support wellbeing, and ensure students can focus on becoming the next generation of NHS pharmacists.”

The petition runs until June 2 and will compel Labour to respond if it reaches 10,000 signatures. The petition will be considered for debate in parliament if it reaches 100,000 signatures.