PDA Student Reps to extend campaign for fair funding to Wales

The current campaign is focused on the issue of pharmacy students being left out of the scope of the NHS Learning Support Fund

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) on Wednesday confirmed that several MPs have come forward to support their campaign for fair funding for pharmacy students, as well as announced their plan to take the campaign to Wales.

The campaign that began last year is focussed on the issue of pharmacy students being left out of the scope of the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF), which provides supplementary funding for healthcare students in England.

MPharm students and PDA Student Reps have been sending letters to their MPs requesting them to escalate the issue to the health minister, and they have been able to gather considerable support.

“There appears to be some cross-party support for the campaign, with welcome responses coming from Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative MPs,” the PDA said.

As their next move, PDA Student Reps are planning to extend the campaign to Wales, where pharmacy students studying at Swansea and Cardiff Schools of Pharmacy are also exempt from a similar funding.

PDA Student Reps at Cardiff University have already spoken to Vaughan Gething, the Welsh government minister of Economics, and sought his input on extending the campaign for fair funding to Wales.

Meanwhile, the Association and their Student Reps have thanked all who are involved in this campaign for their support.

They are encouraging more people to write letters to their MPs if they think MPharm students should be included in the NHS LSF.

Supporters who have got a response from their MP are asked to keep the PDA updated by sending them emails.