The GPhC has announced that the registration assessment will take place in the first 3 months of 2021

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has announced that in the first three months of 2021, the overdue 2020 pre-registration assessment will take place.

The GPhC confirmed that it will now work with the manufacturer to decide a precise date for the next registration assessment and the comprehensive sitting arrangements, including when and how to initiate the adjustment arrangements, application process and the assessment specification.

Director of education, RPS, Gail Fleming, stated: “We understand how difficult this is for those affected and will continue to support them as best we can. At least we now know that the assessment will take place in the first quarter of 2021 and will not take place in the first 2 weeks of January, but we urge the GPhC to act quickly to set an exact date to provide certainty to those who will be sitting the exam. In addition, information about the format of the assessment, including resources and the arrangements for reasonable adjustments is urgently needed to alleviate the ongoing concerns of many trainees. We need to look after our future professional workforce and these issues must be addressed. Regular, transparent and detailed communication is essential and we would ask the GPhC to provide more frequent updates; however, we also need to see more practical support made available.”

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society stated in a letter that: “This is the earliest feasible time to hold the assessment, as we need to carry out extensive testing to make sure that the online registration assessment will work well for all candidates. This includes testing the provider’s systems for verifying identity, invigilating the sitting and providing adjustments to candidates.”