The PDA continues to attend stakeholder meetings with the GPhC to share members views and to keep informed regarding the development of changes to Initial Education and Training (IET) and the Trainee Foundation Training Year and assessment process.
The GPhC along with the PSNI are committed to the online assessment examinations and the PDA wants to emphasise to members that the deadline to request a reasonable adjustment for the June 2022 sitting is Friday 18 March at 5 pm.
Collette Bradford, PDA Director of Organising & Engagement, said, “We encourage members to apply for a reasonable adjustment if they need one. Please remember that adjustments can be for mental health as well as physical health and that medical evidence is required. The PDA wants to see a fair and equal process where only the ability to practise as a pharmacist differentiates between each candidate’s results.”
The PDA’s advice is that members should ask for a reasonable adjustment if they feel it would be beneficial to making their examination experience equal to those who do not need an adjustment.
If you are sitting the assessment in June 2022 you will know from your own health and from your experience of sitting previous exams what adjustment/s will help you avoid any disadvantage. If you feel that an adjustment would be helpful to you, then the PDA encourages you to request one now and provide as much information about your circumstances as possible and medical evidence where necessary.
The regulator guidance for the June 2022 sitting says, “It would be appropriate to grant ‘reasonable adjustments’ to candidates who would be at a disadvantage in sitting the assessment because of health issues, disabilities, specific learning needs or other specific needs. Each request is assessed to make sure that the adjustment is appropriate and proportionate to the candidate’s needs.”
Examples of reasonable adjustments that may be granted to remove a disadvantage due to a specific need include:
- 25% extra time
- Use of special equipment or furniture
- Permission to use specific items during the assessment, for example, medical equipment, screen overlays and computer equipment
- Specific seating arrangements within a test centre, for example, sitting in a sole occupancy room
- Permission to leave your seat during the assessment, for example, to move or stretch
- Specific coloured paper for notes and workings
- Modifications to screen display outside of those available to all candidates as outlined in the registration assessment specification for sittings in 2022, for example, coloured text or background not specified in the registration assessment specifications.
Here are the key facts needed to know about the timeline and requirements for making a request for reasonable adjustments:
- Previous requests for previous sittings will not be transferred. You must submit a new request for each sitting.
- The deadline for submission of a request for reasonable adjustments for the June 2022 examination is 5 pm on 18 March 2022.
- You will need to identify your condition and provide evidence of your diagnosis from a suitably qualified professional. You will also need to outline what adjustment you consider would mitigate your disadvantage.
- You must send your application and documents as a single PDF to: [email protected].
- If you do not receive an email receipt acknowledgement within 5 days of submitting your form, you must contact the GPhC at: [email protected].
- You will receive an automatic acknowledgement and an email to let you know the outcome of your request by 5 May 2022.
- Please read all the information carefully. There is no process for submitting late adjustments for this sitting and therefore you must make sure you submit your application by 18 March 2022 at 5 pm.
The GPhC in collaboration with the PSNI has produced an in-depth guidance on submission, including what supporting evidence you will need, and the types of evidence accepted. There is also information on the types of adjustments that can be requested, how to complete the application process and the appeals process. This guidance can be found here.
Please contact the PDA if you need any help or support once you have read the guidance. The PDA will provide further information and guidance shortly.
Related links
- Sitting the registration assessment in June 2022
- Contact Us
- GPhC appoints a new provider to deliver the common registration assessment
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