New facilities mark 175 years of pharmacy education

LJMU is marking 175 years of pharmacy education in the city by officially launching its innovative new specialist facilities.

The university has unveiled its state-of-the-art simulation suite which will transform the way students are taught in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences.

The new suite includes a six-bed ward with AI-driven mannequin patients, consultation room, dispensary and the latest prescribing software, providing a realistic clinical setting for students to develop their skills and experience.

Enhancing the student experience

Professor Satyajit Sarker, Director of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, said: “We are delighted with these fantastic new facilities and the transformative impact they will have on the education of our students.

“Innovation leads evolution in education. And evolution makes education relevant, rewarding and sustainable. This pharmacy clinical teaching facility is the result of evolution that has taken place in pharmacy education to ensure enhanced clinical experience for the student.

“Having an onsite, pharmacy clinical teaching facility not only enhances the student experience, but it also puts our school in a uniquely strong position among the pharmacy education providers in the UK.”

Innovation and evolution

Professor Peter Penson, Head of Subject (Pharmacy) & Lead Pharmacist, said: “These new facilities are a major investment in our subject and represent a step change in the way we deliver our teaching.

“It means our students are receiving the best possible preparation for their careers by enabling them to apply the knowledge they’ve learned in the classroom to realistic simulated scenarios in a clinical setting. It gives them a safe space to practice, learn and make mistakes before they go and work with real patients on their placements.

“As we mark 175 years of delivering pharmacy education in Liverpool, it is a reminder that we must continually strive to innovate and evolve to make sure our students are receiving an outstanding experience at LJMU.”

The new facilities were formally opened by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Power, at an event attended by faculty staff and Pippa Roberts, Chief Pharmacist of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Pictured: Jonathan Davies (Experiential Learning Lead), Professor Mark Power (Vice-Chancellor), Professor Peter Penson (Lead Pharmacist), Professor Satyajit Sarker (Director, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences), Dr Alice McCloskey (MPharm Programme Leader), Pippa Roberts (Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) and Professor Laura Bishop (Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Science).