Accessing the Website
Open days
    
Employers Best Practise Guidelines for recruitment of pre-registration trainee pharmacists
NHS Employment Check Standards
Permission to work in the UK and Leave to Remain - information for employers of overseas applicants
Criminal convictions
Disabled applicants
Employment offers / contracts
Unfilled places
Failed undergraduate examinations
Failure to pass the Overseas Pharmacist Assessment Programme (OSPAP Postgraduate Diploma)
Eligibility to Sit the Registration Examination

---

Accessing the Website

I am having problems accessing the website.

If you are having difficulties accessing the website, it could be one of a number of problems:

Your Browser
You should be using Microsoft Explorer, Netscape or Firefox to view the website. Other browsers may be incompatible. You will not be able to successfully access the site using the AOL browser.

Your Security Settings
If you are using Microsoft XP, there is a firewall included in your operating system. This firewall may block information being passed and will not allow the website to function properly. If you are experiencing problems accessing the site and have a Microsoft XP firewall running, disable the firewall while you are working on the site.

Open days

We are holding an open day at our hospital. How can we advertise this?

There is a facility to advertise open days on the website www.pharmacytraining.nhs.uk. To advertise these open days contact prereg@pharmalife.nhs.uk
You will need to provide the following information:

• Name of hospital
• Code of hospital e.g. G6
• Where to go for the open day
• Date of the open day
• Name, email and telephone number of the person to contact at the hospital

---

Employers Best Practise Guidelines for recruitment of pre-registration trainee pharmacists



The following Guidelines outline the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) Council's view of the best practice for the recruitment of pharmacy students into pre-registration training posts. Employers Best Practice Guidelines are that they will:

• Make available material to give students an objective picture of their organisations and to provide information about specific preregistration training opportunities
• Offer equality of opportunity and avoid in their literature or application forms for employment in the UK any reference that might be construed as unfair discrimination
• Acknowledge receipt of all applications and inform students whether or not they are to be invited for interview
• Not pressure students to give a formal acceptance to an offer prior to the date set by the RPSGB. See also the RPSGB letter on recruitment of pre-registration trainee pharmacists here
• Notify the result of an interview promptly to a student
• Allow an adequate time to respond to an offer: when requesting a verbal, provisional response immediately or very soon after the interview, give a time allowance of not less than 3 days for students to respond formally in writing (to a written offer) and recognise that it is the written acceptance which is binding. (This is to avoid the use of unreasonable timescales which can limit the ability of students to make informed decisions, prejudice the recruitment activities of other employers and give students cause to accept offers and renege on them later)
• I inform students if the offer can be held open and for how long (e.g. in situations where students have other employment options to consider)
• Not give an impression that any commitment to work after the pre-registration period is enforceable in law
• Make clear to applicants whether and what expenses will be paid for attendance at interviews
• Agree referees with the candidate and not seek references from a person not so designated without the candidate's agreement
• Indicate clearly to the candidate and to the referee whether or not the offer is conditional on the reference
• Explain clearly the terms and conditions of service in offer letters and state whether or not an offer is conditional on degree classification, medical examination etc.
• Recognise that both the offer of a post and its acceptance form a contract unless conditions are attached to either make clear to the applicant that an offer of employment is subject to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society approving the programme of training and/or the premises and/or the tutor when such is the case

---

NHS Employment Check Standards



NHS Employment Check Standards are mandatory checks that employers must carry out in the appointment, and ongoing employment, of all individuals in the NHS. Employers will need to evidence of their compliance with NHS Employment Check Standards as part of the Healthcare Commission's Annual Health Check in 2008/2009. The NHS Employment Check Standards cover:

• Verification of identity checks
• Right to work checks
• Registration and qualification checks
• Employment history and reference checks
• Criminal record checks
• Occupational health checks

For further information and to download copies of these standards visit the NHS Employers website http://www.nhsemployers.org/primary/primary-3524.cfm

---

Permission to work in the UK and Leave to Remain - information for employers of overseas applicants

Applicants who are not United Kingdom (UK) or European Economic Area (EEA) citizens and do not have any evidence of entitlement to enter and work permanently in the UK i.e. settled status will require permission to work in the UK. This will be a different from the permission that enabled them to study at university in the UK.

What options are there for obtaining permission to work in the UK for overseas applicants?

There are a number of different routes by which the overseas applicant can obtain permission to work in the UK as part of the new Points Based System (PBS) which is being introduced during 2008.

The PBS combines more than 80 pre-existing work and study routes in to the United Kingdom into five tiers. Points are awarded on workers' skills to reflect aptitude, experience, age and also the demand for those skills any given sector, to allow the UK to respond flexibly to changes in the labour market.

At the time of writing, we expect the most common forms of permission to work in the UK for pre-registration trainee pharmacists to be:

• Tier 1 - Post-study work
• Tier 2 - General (sponsored skilled workers)

Either of the above can be used for MPharm graduates and OSPAP graduates and permission must be obtained before the graduate starts their pre-registration training. Please note there are a number of other immigration categories that may enable a non UK/EEA applicant to work in the UK and if the applicant is eligible for a different category it is their responsibility to inform the potential employer. Please refer to the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) website http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/

The introduction of PBS is phased during 2008. Tier 1 was introduced on 30 June 2008 and Tier 2 - General will be introduced in November 2008. The BIA has published a statement of intent for Tier 2; however the Tier 2 policy guidance is not yet available and information on Tier 2 is subject to change.

N.B. The Business and Commercial work permit and the Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES) that were used in the past for employing non UK / EEA pre-registration trainee pharmacists will not be in existence by the time that you employ a 2009/10 pre-registration trainee pharmacist. These will be replaced by Tier 2 - skilled workers.

Information on using Tier 1 - Post study work or Tier 2 - General for permission to stay in the UK is outlined below. Permission must be obtained prior to the commencement of pre-registration training.

Tier 1 - Post-study work

This category of Tier 1 was introduced on 30 June 2008 as part of the new points based system. It aims to retain international graduates who have studied in the UK and provides a bridge between studying and a permanent job. The Tier 1 Post-study work category enables the individual to work and remain in the UK without having a sponsor for up to 24 months after completion of their degree / postgraduate diploma in a UK Higher Education Institution. What this means in practice is that the permission to work in the UK is not linked to any one employer. Once the individual has a permanent job (e.g. after they qualify as a pharmacist) they are expected to switch into another tier of the points-based system.

It is not possible to apply for Tier 1 - Post-study work until after being awarded a UK degree. If this is the chosen option, it is the individual's responsibility to obtain the Tier 1 - Post-study work permission and they will need to do this before starting their pre-registration training. Please note that it may take up to a month to process the application. Further information can be found on http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier1/poststudy/

Tier 2 - General

Tier 2 of the PBS will come into operation in November 2008. Please note that the information below on Tier 2 is based on the statement of intent from the BIA and not based on policy guidance which is yet to be published.

Tier 2 - General is aimed at enabling UK employers to employ skilled workers from outside the EEA. Based on the information that we have at the moment Tier 2 would appear to be more complicated and costly for the employer. The only advantage of using Tier 2 is that the application can be made well in advance of you starting pre-registration training.

The employer will only be able to use Tier 2 if they have a sponsorship license showing that they have been checked out and confirmed as genuine by the BIA. Once an NHS organisation has been granted a sponsorship licence they will be given a password to access the system which is web based. Employers can apply for sponsorship licenses now. The employing NHS organisation will need to pay a fee of £1000 for this sponsorship licence. Check with your local HR department to see if they have a sponsorship license. Employers applying for a licence should read the sponsor application form guidance and the sponsor licensing guidance both of which can be downloaded from the BIA website.http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/pbsguidance

Employers should read the 'Skilled Workers under the Points Based System (Tier 2) Statement of Intent' which can be downloaded from:http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/pbsdocs/statementofintent/skilledworkersunderpbs.pdf?/view=Binary

How do I employ a Tier 2 ¿ skilled worker? The steps are as follows:

1. The employer obtains a sponsorship license from the BIA and a password for the web-based system (check with your HR department if they have one)
2. 1.The employer accesses the web-based system and:
• enters all the details of the successful applicant and issues a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) (an actual certificate is not issued; an electronic reference number which is unique to the CoS is issued instead). Each CoS costs the employer £170 and full payment must be made to UK Border Agency (UKBA) before the CoS is issued.
• gives details of the electronic reference number which is unique to the CoS to the individual.

After receiving the CoS electronic reference number, the individual must submit an application to the UK Border Agency to gain Leave to Remain. They must also achieve a minimum of 70 points and be able to supply documents including the CoS reference number to support their application. It is the responsibility of the individual to obtain Leave to Remain and if they fail to do this the CoS will be invalidated. The BIA recommends that students apply one month before their Leave to Remain as a student expires or one month before they are due to start employment. However, it is important to check the information on the CoS carefully as there may be a deadline for application for Leave to Remain associated with the CoS and if the application is not made by a certain date this could invalidate the CoS. It is not possible for the individual to start their pre-registration training until they have both a CoS and Leave to Remain. Please note the fee for Leave to Remain should be paid by the individual NOT the employer. Further information about Leave to Remain can be found on the BIA website http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/immigrationlaw/immigrationrules/part1/

Do I need to undertake a resident labour market test before I can employ a non UK/EEA applicant?

A 'resident worker' is defined as a person who is a European Economic Area (EEA) national or has settled status in the UK within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971, as amended by the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Tier 1 - Post study work - enables the individual to work and remain in the UK without a having a sponsor for up to 24 months after completion of their degree / postgraduate diploma in a UK Higher Education Institution. A resident labour market test is NOT required for the Tier 1 - Post study work category.

Tier 2 - General - As pre-registration trainee pharmacists are on the Shortage Occupation List. Therefore a resident labour market test is NOT required for Tier 2 - General.

Put simply, you no longer have to prove that you have no other suitable UK/EEA applicants before employing someone from outside this area, provided they are eligible for permission to work in the UK.

How do I decide whether to use Tier 1 - Post study work or Tier 2 - General to employ a non UK/EEA applicant?

Based on the information that we have at the moment Tier 1 - Post study work would appear to be the most suitable option.

The information in the table below provides additional information to help you and the applicant decide on which type of permission to use. The decision should be made jointly between you and the applicant after careful consideration of all factors. Please note that it is not necessary to decide which Tier to use until early 2009. By this time the policy guidance for Tier 2 will have been published which will help inform your decision. We would recommend that, if you offer employment to a non-EEA resident, you state that the offer is subject to appropriate permission to work in the UK before commencement of the post.

	Tier 1 - Post-study work	Tier 2 - General Please note that the information below on Tier 2 is based on the statement of intent form the BIA and not based on policy guidance which is yet to be published. The information is subject to change. See http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/ for the most up to date information.
Points	A score of at least 75 points. Information on how points are awarded are on the BIA website http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier1/poststudy/eligibility/	A score of at least 70 points. Information on how points are awarded are on the BIA website http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier2/general/eligibility/
Evidence of funds	The applicant will need to provide evidence that you have access to £800 of available funds (you need this amount as a minimum in your bank account for 3 months prior to your application)	The applicant will need to provide evidence that they have access to £800 of available funds to support yourself whilst in the UK
Cost to student (2008/9)	£400 (postal)	£400 (postal) for Leave to Remain
Cost to employer (2008/9)	None	£170 for Certificate of sponsorship (CoS). In addition if the employer does not already have a sponsors license they will need to apply for one at a cost of £1000
Paperwork for employer	None	Online application for CoS +/- application for sponsors license
Paperwork for applicant	Completion of Tier 1 - Post-study work application form plus submission of evidence	Completion of Leave to Remain application form
Paperwork for the university	The university will need to provide an official letter as evidence that the student studied there and that they have been awarded the MPharm degree / postgraduate diploma (OSPAP). The student will need to ensure that they obtain the original copy of this letter before academic staff go on leave.	None
When to apply?	It is not possible to apply for the Tier 1 - Post-study work category until the student has been awarded thier MPharm degree / postgraduate diploma (OSPAP).	It is unlikely that the employer can apply for the CoS more than 6 months before the start of pre-registration training.
Who is responsible for applying?	The student is responsible for applying	The employer is responsible for applying for the CoS. In addition the student will need Leave to Remain and they are responsible for applying for this once your CoS has been granted
Settlement or indefinite leave to remain	Time spent in the Tier 1 - Post-study worker category does NOT count towards the period an individual needs to spend in the United Kingdom before being eligible to live permanently in the United Kingdom (known as 'settlement' or 'indefinite leave to remain').	Time spent in the Tier 2 category counts towards the period an individual needs to spend in the United Kingdom before being eligible to live permanently in the United Kingdom (known as 'settlement' or 'indefinite leave to remain').

---

Criminal convictions

Applicants will be asked to declare if you they have ever been convicted of a criminal offence or received any cautions, reprimands or final warnings. Any offer of employment is subject to a satisfactory disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). It is the responsibility of the employer to undertake the CRB check after offering a place and all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory CRB checks. There are 2 levels of CRB disclosure, ¿Standard Disclosure¿ and ¿Enhanced Disclosure¿. NHS Employers has advised us that the ¿Standard Disclosure¿ is the suitable level for pharmacists including pre-registration trainees.

Offers of employment should be withdrawn if the CRB check is unsatisfactory. Failure of the applicant to reveal information relating to any convictions could also lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.

Further information on CRB checks can be obtained from the following website http://www.crb.gov.uk/

---

Disabled applicants

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Since December 2006, there has been a legal duty on all public sector organisations to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Since 4 December 2006, significant public authorities have had to publish a 'Disability Equality Scheme'. Each NHS organisation should have one of these - check with your HR department locally. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has responsibility for enforcing the Disability Equality Duty and they can take legal action against public sector organisations that have not done as they are required.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The Guaranteed Interview Scheme is a commitment is to guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets the minimum criteria for the job. You should therefore always ensure it is clear at all stages of the recruitment process what the minimum criteria for selection for interview are. Criteria should be closely audited to ensure they are the absolute minimum to effectively carry out the job being advertised and do not discriminate against disabled people. When shortlisting you must always invite disabled candidates (who meet the minimum criteria for the job) for interview.

All disabled applicants through NHS jobs are offered the Guaranteed Interview Scheme and the National Recruitment Scheme offers this in line with NHS jobs / NHS employers.

For further advice please contact your local HR department.

---

Employment offers / contracts

What information should be included in written offers of employment and contracts of employment?

Employers are expected to ensure that any written offers of employment and contracts of employment clearly specify the terms and conditions of the employment offer / contract. These conditions should include the following:

• Satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check
• Occupational Health clearance
• Obtaining the MPharm or passing the OSPAP course
• Whether the employment offer is deferred or withdrawn if the candidate fails the MPharm or OSPAP course
• Whether the employment offer is deferred or withdrawn if the candidate defers sitting the MPharm exam or OSPAP course
• For non UK / EEA applicants: Specify the permission necessary for the individual to work in the UK and who is responsible for obtaining this permission

---

Unfilled places

How do I advertise unfilled places?

There is a facility to advertise unfilled places that occur after the 2nd round of recruitment. To advertise these places contact prereg@pharmalife.nhs.uk.
You will need to provide the following information:

• Name of hospital
• Code of hospital e.g. G6
• Number of unfilled places
• Name, email and telephone number of the person to contact at the hospital
• Closing date for applications
• Dates of interviews (if known)

Pharmalife will post this information on the home page of the website with a link to the hospital profile. Students will apply by CV directly to your hospital. They will not fill in the online application form. Students who have not secured a pre-registration placement after the 2nd round can register with Pharmalife to be informed of any vacancies. Pharmalife will email all those students who have registered for this facility to inform them of your vacancy.

---

Failed undergraduate examinations

What do I do if one of the students who we have offered a place to fails their undergraduate examinations?

The Royal Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), require all students to have sat all University examinations including re-sits and submitted all final coursework prior to starting training as a pre-registration trainee pharmacist. You will need to check with the student whether they failed their undergraduate examinations or did not sit the examinations e.g. due to ill health or bereavement.

Failed or deferred University examinations may mean a delay to the start date or postponement of pre-registration training until the following year.

You can not employ the student as a pre-registration trainee pharmacist until they have undertaken all outstanding assessments and re-sat the examinations.

The RPSGB recognises the pre-registration training from the point the student has re-sat the examinations and submitted all final coursework.

The earliest that the student can be employed as a pre-registration trainee pharmacist is the day after they have re-sat the undergraduate examinations and submitted all final coursework. If the student commences their pre-registration training after the re-sit undergraduate examinations and passes these examinations, the RPSGB will recognise the training from the day the training commenced. However, if the student were to fail, then, they must cease pre-registration training with immediate effect, and none of their training will count towards the required period of training.

It may be possible to employ the student e.g. as a pharmacy assistant until they have re-sat the undergraduate examinations and submitted all final coursework. You will need to check with your Human Resources department to see if they will allow this; if it is possible you will need to discuss this option with the student. This would allow the student to undergo their induction programme with other trainees. The RPSGB will not recognise the training undertaken prior to sitting the re-sit undergraduate examinations / submitting all final coursework.

You may not wish to employ the student until you know that they have passed the re-sit undergraduate examinations / final coursework. However this may result in them not being able to sit the registration examination until September and if they fail this examination they will not be able to re-sit the registration examination until the following year. See FAQ below on eligibility to sit the registration examination.

You should not withdraw an offer of employment to the student based on failing or not sitting the undergraduate examinations unless you have a valid reason. If you are considering withdrawing the offer you should discuss the matter with your Human Resources department.

If the student fails the re-sit undergraduate examinations then the offer will be withdrawn. You can offer the student a place for the following year¿s intake of trainees if you wish to but are not obliged to do so.

If the student defers the undergraduate examinations due to ill health or bereavement we would recommend that you offer the student a place for the following year¿s intake of trainees, however the final decision rests with the employer and you may have a valid reason why you don¿t wish to do this.

Both the tutor and the student are responsible for notifying the pre-registration division at the RPSGB in writing (or by e-mail) of delays to the start date of the training and any other changes in training details. The employer will need to discuss any changes to training arrangements with the regional pre-registration co-ordinator as there will be implications for funding.

---

Failure to pass the Overseas Pharmacist Assessment Programme (OSPAP Postgraduate Diploma)

The Royal Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) does not permit OSPAP students to commence their pre-registration training until they have successfully passed the OSPAP course.

Both the tutor and the student are responsible for notifying the pre-registration division at the RPSGB in writing (or by e-mail) of delays to the start date of the training and any other changes in training details. The employer will need to discuss any changes to training arrangements with the regional pre-registration co-ordinator as there will be implications for funding.

---

Eligibility to Sit the Registration Examination

What is the cut off date for starting pre-registration training in order to sit the registration examination?

There are 2 sittings of the registration examination each year in June and September. The RPSGB Byelaw 26 (Rules governing pre-registration training) specify that eligibility for entry to either sitting of the registration examination is subject to the submission of a satisfactory progress report by the pre-registration tutor at the 39 week stage and having completed a minimum of 45 weeks of pre-registration training by the registration examination date. It is therefore possible to calculate the date by which trainees must have commenced training in order to be eligible for sitting the registration examination.

Cut off dates for starting pre-registration training in 2009 to sit the 2010 registration exams	Dates of registration examination in 2010
On / before 14th August 2009	Friday 25th June 2010
On / before 13th November 2009	Friday 24th Sept 2010

See also crucial information about the registration examination in the RPSGB Spring and Autumn pre-registration bulletins.

---