According to notes from a workshop held in April, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have already “begun to explore the possibility of moving to a four-country assessment”.

A UK-wide registration exam would “fully harmonise the initial education and training requirements for pharmacists in the UK”, the GPhC said in papers published ahead of yesterday’s (May 16) council meeting.

“If agreed, the first common cohort would sit the assessment in June 2021,” it added.

Currently, the two regulators share “reciprocal registration provisions” for pharmacists in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and “a memorandum of understanding to secure consistent standards of professional practice”, the GPhC explained. However, their pre-reg exams remain separate.

This year’s summer pre-reg exams take place on June 6 for Northern Irish students, and June 27 for students in England, Wales and Scotland.

What should pre-reg pharmacists and their tutors be prioritising in the weeks leading up to the exam? Listen to the podcast below to find out.

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