A “complex interplay of factors” has influenced the poor exam performance of black African students, a report by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has concluded.

The regulator says it will hold a seminar in October to discuss the report’s findings, and to “consider the actions that may be needed to address the issues raised”, it said.

The GPhC commissioned independent research organisation OPM to conduct the research last October. The report – released last week (July 7)  – looked into reasons why this group of pharmacy students tends to perform “significantly less well” in the registration exam compared to other ethnic groups.

OPM conducted qualitative research with black African trainees and recently-qualified pharmacists, as well as people involved in pharmacist education and training.

Many black African trainees are "highly motivated, do not experience the impact of disadvantaging factors and are very successful in their education and training", the report stressed.

But the report details that the pass rate for black African candidates sitting the registration exam for the first time in 2013 was 54%, compared with 93% for white British students.

This pattern persisted in 2014, and in 2015 when the black African registration exam pass rate stayed at 54% compared to 88% for white British students, the report found.

GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin said that although “no firm conclusions” could be drawn from the report, its findings will inform the regulator's approach to equality and diversity issues in its ongoing review of education and training standards.

See an analysis of the report here.