Registration assessment

The registration assessment is one of the ways we test trainee pharmacists to ensure they understand how to apply knowledge appropriately and in a timely way. This means they can make professional judgements when practising.

The assessment also tests trainee’s number sense so that they can perform the calculations needed to practice as a pharmacist.

It’s important that we assess these skills to give assurance to patients and the public that the pharmacists on our register can practice safely and effectively. Passing the registration assessment is one of the criteria that trainees need to meet to be eligible to apply to become a registered pharmacist.

There are usually two registration assessments per year, in June and November. Candidates have three attempts to pass the entire assessment in one go and must answer two question papers. The assessment is carried out simultaneously in locations across Great Britain.

Assuring the registration assessment

To make sure that each assessment is consistent, the question papers are set and moderated by an appointed body, the Board of Assessors. All decisions about questions, papers, candidates and pass marks are made by the board.

The Board of Assessors is made up of a pharmacist Chair, other pharmacist members who are a mixture of academic pharmacists and pharmacists in practice, and members who are assessment experts.

Members of the Board of Assessors

• Mat Smith, Cardiff University, pharmacist (chair)
• Johanne Barry, Queen’s University Belfast, pharmacist
• Heather Bell, Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development, pharmacist 
• Kathryn Bullen, University of Sunderland, pharmacist
• Sonia Chand, Hospital pharmacist
• Kathryn Davison, University of Sunderland, pharmacist
• Laura Doyle, Health Education & Improvement Wales, pharmacist
• Daniel Grant, University of Reading, pharmacist
• Alison Strath, Scottish government, pharmacist
• Louise Cogan, University of Central Lancashire, pharmacist
• Harsha Parmar, University of Manchester, pharmacist
• Andrew Walker, registrant member

• Alison Sturrock, non-registrant member