Facilities for new pharmacy students unveiled

Students studying a new pharmacy course at a university will be able to hone their skills in lifelike situations, a university said.

The University of Suffolk's Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) course facilities include a mock dispensary, and a "telehealth room" designed for students to practise remote consultations, reflecting the "future-facing" design of the course.

The first cohort of students is expected to arrive in September for the four-year programme.

Prof Paula Kersten, dean of the school of health, said: "The completion... is a landmark moment in the development of this brand-new course, which will play a key role in addressing the local, regional and national demand for pharmacists."

She said the university had "committed to developing the future skills needs for our health and social care sector... and the new MPharm programme is the latest development to ensure we play an active role in the skills development of our future health workforce".

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The new pharmacy practice suite incorporates a mock dispensary intended to provide a hands-on space for students to learn dispensing and diagnostic skills and to practise prescribing consultations.

The development has been supported by £457,600 of investment by the Office for Students, allocated as part of its priority sectors for growth.

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