RPS offers support to preregistration students after GPhC reports 41% pass rate

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has offered its support to preregistration pharmacists who are struggling to come to terms with their results of the September 2016 registration assessment.

The offer comes after the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) reported on 28 October that the September pass rate had dropped to just 40.8%, down from 95.0% in the June 2016 registration assessment — the first time the assessment’s new methodology was used.

In a statement, the RPS says: “We understand completely how devastating the news of not passing the preregistration exam can be for a preregistration pharmacist. For some of those who have had bad news… there will not be a further opportunity to re-sit the examination.

“Please call us to discuss your options, we will do everything we can to support you,” the statement adds.

The RPS says it will be meeting with the GPhC to discuss the reasons behind the drop in pass rate.

“We will raise with [the GPhC its] process for communication to candidates about the exam, both before the exam was taken and how results were sent to those who didn’t pass this exam. We will also be keen to understand if there was any change to the content of the preregistration exam in September compared with the exam in June.”

The GPhC’s Board of Assessors said in a report to the GPhC that a drop in the pass rate was likely to be because a greater proportion of September’s candidates would have been those retaking the exam, having previously failed.

• If you wish to get in touch with the RPS to talk about your options, visit the RPS website for further information.