Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) provide funding for training additional pharmacists and (b) expand pharmacy provisions in hospitals.

The number of trainee pharmacists is uncapped and driven by market forces. Since 2017, trainee numbers have averaged 2,500 a year. This has resulted in a year-on-year growth in the number of pharmacists on the professional register, which, as of March 2023, stands at 52,780 pharmacists in England across all settings. Health Education England is also working with Higher Education institutions to implement reforms to pharmacists’ initial education and training, so they can play a greater role in providing clinical care to patients and the public, including prescribing medicines. The Department has also added pharmacy students to the list of professionals eligible for the Education and Training tariff to fund clinical placements from 1 September 2022. It is a matter for hospitals to ensure that they have the necessary pharmacy provision.