Pharmacy schools could soon have their student intakes capped, the Department of Health (DH) has announced, as part of proposals to overhaul the pharmacy degree programme.

Ministers suggested limiting pharmacy student numbers in the same way as medical and dental degrees, in a pharmacy education strategy proposed last week.

At a meeting last month, pharmacy minister Earl Howe and minister for universities and science David Willetts also suggested splitting the pre-registration year into two six-month placements, preferably divided between year four and year five of the course, following proposals raised in February last year by the NHS Modernising Pharmacy Careers Programme.

Ministers suggested changes to the pre-reg year and limiting pharmacy student numbers in the same way as medical and dental degrees	More on pharmacy students Pharmacy student numbers could buck national       decline Xrayser: Students are our lifeblood – don't limit them C+D readers back calls to limit student numbers
	The proposals came as part of an overall vision for pharmacy degrees that would emphasise clinical skills training and development in a five-year curriculum jointly owned, planned and delivered by universities and employers.

The DH said it would need to take into account funding constraints and carry out an impact assessment and consultation before the proposals could go ahead.

If agreed, the plans could ease concerns over the growing number of pharmacy students, following news earlier this month that three new pharmacy schools are due to open next year. The DH argued that a cap would be necessary to match student numbers to NHS-funded training placements.

"The number of students and training places will then reflect demand for the pharmacist workforce across the NHS in England, including community pharmacy, but also academia and the pharmaceutical industry," the government said.

The DH said it would now be exploring the preferred funding option with the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Sills and Higher Education Funding Council for England as part of a full impact assessment on the proposals.

A cap on student numbers was widely supported by C+D readers last month, despite Abertay University lecturer Kevin Smith branding restrictions anti-competitive.

The Modernising Pharmacy Careers boards was set up in 2009 to advise the DH on ways to improve the pharmacist workforce.