This petition will discuss

1. Incompetence
2. Issues with the June 2022 sitting
3. Articles from previous sittings proving said incompetence
4. Loss of trust in the regulator
5. Trainees felt exam did not reflect the GPhC framework
6. Allowing trainees to join the provisional register until the next sitting 

Yesterday, the 29th June 2022, was a hectic day, for all the wrong reasons, due to our quite frankly embarrassing regulator beyond words, defying belief yet again, having long crossed the barrier with their repeated incompetence. 

For months, trainees have been told to:

1. Give it their best
2. Not to worry as the GPhC want to test your skills as a first day Pharmacist
3. Dispelling worries the change from PearsonVue to BTL, and any changes would be positive to hopefully avoid further issues 

Yesterday will have been a day that numerous trainee pharmacists will have looked forward to the whole year and indeed for the four years whilst attending university too, counting down the days for their chance to show the GPhC what they’re all about and to demonstrate competence as a first day Pharmacist by being successful in the exam

Instead what they were faced with, didn’t come as a surprise as yet again there were more issues with the GPhC exam. 

June 2022 issues:

•Candidates able to use phone with a delayed exam start
•Loud, distracting noise in some test centres

•Some trainees able to look at others screens during the exam 

•Trainees sitting 14 hours in a test centre in prison like conditions with no food or air due to delays in the exam 

•Invigilators not checking calculators for part 2 of the exam

•Some candidates being allowed to use a scientific calculator 

•Some questions were almost a page long to read with 3 minutes per question not enough time

•Candidates allegedly whispering in the GPHC exam with no action taken by invigilators 

•Technical issues whilst attempting the exam with the software used 

See statements, which are filled with repeated ‘apologies’ and plans to ensure ‘mistakes don’t happen again’ 

March 2021

June 2021

June 2022

The expression from baseball rings true ‘three strikes and you’re out’ 

Will the trainees who attempted the exam in June 2022 be made to attempt in November 2022 due to no fault of their own? Similar to trainee who attempted in July 2021 but were made to attempt in November 2021.

Your repeated actions are having a severe impact, on trainees that we are supposed to be welcoming with open arms in our profession. Mental health has greatly been affected.

You’ve apologised three times and have stated plans in place to ensure this doesn’t take place again, the truth is, myself and many others, are waiting for the fourth time, I’m already looking to the 3rd November 2022 picking up the pieces talking to distraught trainee Pharmacists. 

Numerous Trainee Pharmacists have come together and have come to conclusion that the June 2022 exam, especially the calculations did not truly reflect the GPhC framework. I hope this is reviewed, and appropriate action is taken.

Moving forward, the trainees of 2021/2022 should be allowed to have their attempt nullified and to be able to join the provisional register until they qualify. 

This is what we would like and we want our voices to be heard.

Thank you.