A £1 million clinical-research suite has been officially opened at the University of Bradford.

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, Dr Keith Ridge, opened the state-of-the-art suite, part of the Bradford School of Pharmacy at the university, and allowing students to train in different clinical settings.

While at the university, Dr Ridge spent time touring the new facilities, including the simulated community pharmacy, sponsored by Weldricks Pharmacy, and a simulated hospital ward.

Head of pharmacy Professor Kay Marshall said: “The university was delighted that Dr Ridge opened the clinical skills suite. Pharmacy is an applied discipline and the school acknowledges the university strap-line ‘Making Knowledge Work’.

“The first significant project for the Modernising Pharmacy Careers Programme Board is to review the current pharmacist undergraduate education and pre-registration training to assess its content and relevance, and to identify options for change as set out in the 2008 Pharmacy White Paper ‘Pharmacy in England: Building on Strengths and Delivering the Future’.

“One core premise of the strategy will be to increase the clinical experience of pharmacy undergraduates.

“The unique five-year sandwich course in pharmacy here at Bradford is ahead of its time and much can be learned from this way of teaching.”

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor John Godward, and the Lady Mayoress also attended the opening with several pharmacists from community pharmacy groups and a number of chief pharmacists from the NHS.