Students at the UEA have launched a campaign to reinstate a pharmacy on campus, months after the closure of its Boots branch.

Boots pulled out of its pharmacy on the University of East Anglia campus in July as part of a string of branch closures nationally.

It now means students in need of medication can no longer access it on campus and face having to travel into the city instead.

A search is under way to find an organisation to run a facility on the site instead of the national chain.

But students fearing this will not happen have started a petition to emphasise this need.

The 'Save the UEA Campus Pharmacy' campaign has been launched by the UEA's Students' Union - with hundreds of students already signing the petition.

Eastern Daily Press: Nathan Wyatt of the UEA Students' UnionNathan Wyatt of the UEA Students' Union (Image: UEA)

Nathan Wyatt, the SU's welfare, community and diversity officer, said: "At a time when NHS resources are so stretched, it is even more important that students can get access to the medicine and prescriptions that they need.

"Until Covid, UEA students had three pharmacies just a short walk away.

"Now, we have no other option but to get a 30-minute bus into the city.

"It isn't fair that students have to accept this loss - and now we are standing up and fighting back."

It comes after the national chain also closed another of its branches close to the campus - in Colman Road.

Norwich South MP Clive Lewis is also collecting views on the UEA branch closure in the hope of highlighting student struggles to access health services.

Speaking previously, Mr Lewis said: "Alternative pharmacies will be challenging for many people to get to - especially those without cars."

The petition, which the union set up a week ago, has so far amassed more than 350 signatures.