Uni social care school to close

The university governing body voted to close the department

Bosses at a Berkshire university have decided to close its School of Health and Social Care.

The University of Reading's governing body, the University Council, has voted to shut the department "with effect from September 2011".

The closure is part of a move to concentrate resources on areas of academic strength.

The British Association of Social Workers said the county may experience a shortage of industry professionals.

Restructuring process

A university spokesman said: "23 members supported the senior management board recommendation to close the school, 4 voted against and 1 abstained.

"The university takes its responsibility to staff and students very seriously and their interests will be our priority until the school closes."

No further recruitment will take place for the school, which has 350 students, the university said in a statement.

A restructuring committee will be set up and the university will start consulting with the staff concerned, and the trade unions they belong to, to "avoid wherever possible compulsory redundancy".

"A transition management group will be established to ensure appropriate provision for students currently enrolled on courses," the spokesman added.

Earlier, Sally Hunt, from the University and College Union, said: "These are people who are training as social workers, nurses, people who we all need. There is a choice that needs to be made.

"[The choice is] whether a future vision includes practical, good people being trained for the community or whether it doesn't."

The closure comes after an internal review concluded that the "strategic importance of the school is limited" and is "not predicted to change in the future".

Professor Gordon Marshall, vice-chairman of the university, has previously said: "We regret closing any activity at the university but the university is under great financial pressure."