UK skills shortage threatens future medicine development

The UK life sciences industry is facing a major skills shortage which threatens to undermine the research and development of new medicines in the UK and prevent growth and investment in this vital sector

A new report from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has found that pharmaceutical companies are struggling to recruit for high skilled roles in the UK due to low numbers of good quality candidates.  The ABPI warns that this could lead to firms increasingly seeking expertise and skills abroad risking the UK’s position as a global leader of research and development.  

Launched ahead of this year’s ABPI annual R&D conference, the report – Bridging the skills gap in the biopharmaceutical industry – looks at the skills needed now and in the near future for the biopharmaceutical industry to thrive in the UK. 

Based on research from 93 industry leaders from 59 organisations the report reveals that the most concerning skills gaps are in the interdisciplinary areas involving mathematics and biology which are essential for the development of the personalised medicines of the future.

​Nine out of ten respondents cited concern about quality and quantity of candidates for vacancies in areas including bioinformatics, health informatics, statistics and data mining, where innovation and technology is advancing so quickly that training programs struggle to keep up. 

Nine out of ten respondents also cited poor communications and team-working skills in new recruits, as a particular area of concern.

The report also highlights long-standing issues in the number and quality of applicants in areas such as translational medicine, clinical pharmacology and veterinary and toxicological pathology, which were highlighted in the ABPI’s previous skills report of 2008.  However, while action has been taken to address these issues, a lack of ongoing funding or short-term initiatives coming to an end means these skills gaps are now re-emerging as areas of concern. 

The increasing number of skills gaps need to be urgently addressed if the UK is to continue to deliver innovative medicines to patients, say the authors. The UK currently has one of the strongest and most productive life sciences industries in the world, generating turnover of over £56 billion per annum. The pharmaceuticals sector employs over 70,000 people in the UK; the high productivity of each of these highly skilled people results in more than £149,000 being generated for the UK economy. 

Life sciences minister, George Freeman MP, who wrote the foreword for the report, said:“It is essential that the sector continues to have access to a highly skilled R&D, manufacturing and technical workforce in order to achieve its potential, maintain the UK’s position at the forefront of life sciences and help to meet the challenge of addressing the productivity gap.  This ABPI report will provide invaluable evidence for industry and policymakers to develop and deliver the right skills initiatives to ensure that the sector continues to thrive in the future.”

The report authors say a multi-sector approach, as well as co-investment from the industry and government, is required in order to tackle what is a complex set of issues. This includes a focus on the education pathway, from the school curriculum to post-graduate studies and more high-quality apprenticeships.

Given the findings of the report, the ABPI is very concerned with the decision by government to renege on its decision to support the Science Industry Partnership (SIP), which has already made a significant impact on the skills shortage facing the sector, and which is well-placed to lead on tackling some of the issues raised in this report. 

Malcolm Skingle, chair of the ABPI Academic Liaison Expert Network, said: “Securing the appropriate skills and roles across manufacturing, clinical and research and development within life sciences has been a significantly growing concern for our sector in the UK and this report provides the clear evidence of the complexities of the challenge ahead.  We absolutely need to work with Government and health and education policy makers to understand how best to address these gaps and challenges, in order to secure the UK’s position in life sciences and ensure it remains able to compete globally for talent and investment.  Only through collaboration and co-investment between all relevant organisations can we ensure that the UK sustains and grows a highly skilled workforce for our sector in the future.”