(OSPAP) Aston University - General Pharmaceutical Council

Reaccreditation of an Overseas Pharmacists’ Assessment Programme 

(OSPAP) 

Aston University 

Report of a reaccreditation event, 28 February‐1 March 2012 

Introduction 

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the statutory regulator for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and is the accrediting body for pharmacy education in 

Great Britain. The GPhC is responsible for setting standards and approving education and training courses which form part of the pathway towards registration for 

pharmacists. The UK qualification required as part of the pathway to registration for pharmacists who have qualified overseas (non‐EEA) is a GPhC‐accredited Overseas 

Pharmacists’ Assessment Programme (OSPAP), which is a one‐year post graduate diploma. The GPhC’s right to check the standards of pharmacy qualifications leading to 

annotation and registration as a pharmacist is the Pharmacy Order 2010. It requires the GPhC to ‘approve’ courses by appointing ‘visitors’ (accreditors) to report to the 

GPhC’s Council on the ‘nature, content and quality’ of education as well as ‘any other matters’ the Council may require. 

This accreditation event was carried out in accordance with the GPhC’s 2011 OSPAP Accreditation Methodology and the course was reviewed against the GPhC’s 2011 

education standards ‘Standards for the education and training of non‐EEA Pharmacists wanting to register in Great Britain’ (Appendix 1).’ The GPhC’s process for 

accreditation of new OSPAP courses involves 2 steps, with a minimum of one step undertaken per academic year only. After successful completion of Step 1 a university 

is accredited for an initial period of one academic year and is permitted to accept students onto their new OSPAP course. Following a successful step 2 a university’s 

OSPAP course is normally approved for accreditation for a further period of three years. 

Background 

The Aston OSPAP is delivered, alongside the MPharm programme, by the Pharmacy Subject Group within the School of Life and Health Sciences (LHS). As a Subject 

Group, Pharmacy has its own dedicated learning and teaching facilities where appropriate, in addition to the wider integrated LHS and central University facilities. The 

General Pharmaceutical Council, OSPAP reaccreditation report 

Aston University, 28 February-1 March 2012 

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OSPAP commenced at Aston in October 2004 and was last reaccredited in 2008/9. That reaccreditation was conducted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great 

Britain (RPSGB) using the criteria then in operation. On that occasion, the accreditation team imposed no conditions but recommended that the School should revisit the 

syllabus to consider whether or not there was adequate coverage of a) drug and substance misuse b) Management of risk and c) product liability. 

Response to recommendations: 

a. Drug and substance misuse – this has been addressed in the Practical Therapeutics module. The students receive a lecture on drugs of abuse and misuse 

delivered by a consultant pharmacist from the drug addiction unit and a lecture on Supporting Addicts by a member of the SAFE Project team 

(http://www.safe.wmids.nhs.uk/about.asp). 

b. Management of risk‐ this has been addressed in the Pharmaceutical Technology module, in a series of lectures covering pharmaceutical quality, Quality control, 

Quality assurance, pharmaceutical validation, types of errors, sampling and customer and manufacturers risks. 

c. Product liability – this has also been introduced into the Pharmaceutical Technology module 

Documentation 

The provider submitted submission documentation to the GPhC in line with agreed timescales and a pre‐visit took place at Aston University on 20 th January 2012. During 

the pre‐visit the schedule of meetings and timings for the reaccreditation event were confirmed. 

The following documents were submitted by the university in advance of the event: 

• Completed GPhC submission template ‘Reaccreditation of an OSPAP’. 

• Programme specification, module specifications and course handbook 

• Staff profiles 

• A number of additional documents were provided as evidence to support each standard (listed at Appendix 2) 

The event 

The event began with a private meeting of the accreditation team and GPhC representatives on 28 February 2012. The remainder of the event took place on site at 

Aston University on 29 February‐1 March 2012, and comprised a series of meetings with staff and students of the University and included a tour of the University 

facilities. 



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Accreditation team 

The GPhC’s accreditation team (‘the team’) comprised: 

Name Designation at the time of accreditation event 

Mrs Linda Stone Accreditation team leader, (Pharmacy consultant, community pharmacy background) 

Professor Brenda Costall Accreditation team member (Professor of Neuropharmacology, former Head of School of Pharmacy, University of Bradford) 

Dr Brian Curwain Accreditation team member (Consultant to NHS organisations and the pharmaceutical industry and former PCT Chief Pharmacist; 

member of GPhC International Panel) 

Surinder Bassan Accreditation team member (Chief Pharmacist, Southampton University Hospitals; member of GPhC International Panel) 

Mrs Sylvia Hikins Accreditation team member (Lay Member, Management Consultant, Non‐Executive Director & Vice Chair for Mersey Regional 

Ambulance Service Trust) 

along with: 

Name Designation at the time of visit 

Ms Joanne Martin * Quality Assurance Manager (Education), GPhC 

Mrs Martha Pawlucyzk Registration and International Policy Manager, GPhC 

Professor Brian Furman Rapporteur (Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde) 

*attended pre‐visit meeting on 28 October 2011. 

Declaration of potential conflicts of interest 

i. Surinder Bassan was involved in establishing a Diploma in Pharmacy Management at Aston University (1969‐72). 

ii. Linda Stone has acted as a pharmacy practice supervisor at Aston University (~1988‐93) and has also served as a member of a team established to set up a 

postgraduate diploma in community pharmacy. 

iii. Brian Furman has acted as a consultant to Aston University in relation to the establishment of a pharmacy‐unrelated overseas programme (October 2011). 



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Meeting the accreditation standards 

Standard 1 – Patient and public 

safety 

There must be clear procedures to 

address concerns about patient safety 

arising from initial pharmacy education 

and training. Concerns must be 

addressed immediately. 

Standard 2 – Monitoring, review 

and evaluation of an OSPAP 

The quality of pharmacy education and 

training must be monitored, reviewed 

and evaluated in a systematic and 

developmental way. 

Standard 3 – Equality, diversity and 

fairness 

OSPAPs must be based on principles of 

equality, diversity and fairness. It must 

meet the requirements of all relevant 

legislation. 



Accreditation team’s commentary 

The documentation provided abundant evidence that Aston has effective procedures in place to ensure that students do not 

jeopardise patient safety and only undertake tasks for which they are competent. Students are monitored and assessed to 

ensure that they always practise safely. The team was satisfied that the students have access to support for health, conduct 

and academic issues and understand what is and what is not professional behaviour, being familiar with the GPhC’s Code of 

Conduct for Pharmacy Students (2010) and Standards of Conduct, Ethics and Performance and Aston’s fitness to practise 

procedures. It was also clear to the team that the mechanisms for checking health and good character were sufficiently 

robust. 

The team was confident that the criteria to meet this standard will be met. 

The documentation described in detail Aston’s quality assurance mechanisms, including information about roles, 

responsibilities and lines of accountability within the Pharmacy Subject Group, the School of Life and Health Sciences and the 

University. The team was satisfied with the information provided on the OSPAP entry requirements, the quality of teaching, 

learning and assessment, the quality of placements, the appraisal and feedback systems for students, the supervision 

requirements and the educational resources and capacity for delivering the programme. There was ample evidence that all of 

these are monitored, reviewed and evaluated systematically. 


Aston’s commitment to equality and diversity was well articulated in the documentation and the University has a clear policy 

in this area, undertaking to promote equality and diversity within its community in all aspects of its work, including its 

admissions policies for students and its recruitment and selection processes for staff. Each member of the University must 

adhere to both the relevant legislation and University Policy in the treatment of other members of the University community. 

The University provides guidance for staff and students to enable them to fulfil this responsibility. Staff and students at all 

levels are required to treat one another with respect and courtesy. The University monitors progress and assesses the impact 

of relevant policies in promoting equality and diversity. The results of this monitoring and an annual equality report are 

published on the University’s Equality and Diversity web site. There is a comprehensive programme of equality training for all 

university staff. All new staff undertake this training as part of their induction process and, in the case of new academic staff, 

equality and diversity training are included in the postgraduate certificate of education, which all new staff must complete. 

The training of current staff in equality and diversity is monitored during their annual appraisals. 

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Standard 4 – Selection of students 

Selection processes must be open, fair 

and comply with relevant legislation. 

Processes must ensure that students are 

fit to practise at the point of selection. 

Selection includes admissions. 

Standard 5 – Curriculum delivery 

and Student experience 

The curriculum for OSPAPs must deliver 

the outcomes in Standard 10. Most 

importantly, curricula must ensure that 

students practise safely and effectively. 

To ensure this, pass criteria must 

describe safe and effective practice. 



The team was confident that the two criteria to meet this standard will be met. 

The selection process appeared to be robust, being open, fair and compliant with relevant legislation; the selection criteria 

were transparent. Applicants must have been deemed eligible by the GPhC in terms of their overseas pharmacy qualification; 

the applicants must have achieved a certain level of English language proficiency, as evidence by a minimum score of 7 in the 

each component of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) obtained at a single sitting and the University 

undertook good character checks, in compliance with Standard 1. The University did not impose any requirements additional 

to those imposed by the GPhC in relation to the applicants’ first degree in pharmacy. 

The team was aware of a number of inaccuracies in the information provided to applicants via the website, the prospectus 

and the offer letter received by successful applicants. These had been notified to the School following the pre‐visit and the 

team confirmed with the Aston staff that these were being addressed. 

The team was confident that the three criteria to meet this standard will be met. 

The evidence provided in the documentation, together with extensive discussions with staff and students, demonstrated that 

the curriculum integrated both science and practice and was progressive, dealing with issues in an increasing complex way 

until the right level of understanding was reached. For example, while students initially dealt with patients with a single 

disease, later in the programme they addressed complex clinical problems, where patients may be suffering from multiple 

diseases. There are clear strategies for teaching, learning and assessment with the appropriate balance of theory and 

practical work, aimed at delivering and measuring the outcomes listed under standard 10; the programme encourages the 

students to become independent learners. The Aston OSPAP is delivered in an environment which places study in a 

professional and academic context, with many of the staff being pharmacists with both scientific and practice expertise. 

Many staff members are involved in the development of pharmacy policy at the local, national, and international level. The 

extensive engagement of practising pharmacists ensures that practical scenarios are used throughout the course in all 

modules in both lectures and workshops. 

The Aston OSPAP is informed by research and all academic staff are active researchers, with research examples used 

extensively in the teaching. Throughout the OSPAP, students must behave professionally and patient safety is clearly 

paramount in assessments, with any evidence of unsafe practice resulting in failure. 

The students undertook placements in hospital, visited a community pharmacy, undertook learning sessions with expert 

patients and received lectures from doctors, nurses, opticians and dieticians; however, their opportunities to work with, or 

learn alongside, other healthcare professionals was very limited. As this standard specifies that an OSPAP curriculum must 

include practical experience of working with patients, carers and other healthcare professionals, the team made a formal 

recommendation that the school should take further advantage of opportunities both within and external to the University, 

to provide this experience for the students (see ‘recommendation’). 

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Standard 6 – Support and 

development for students 

Students must be supported to develop 

as learners and professionals during 

their OSPAP 

Standard 7 – Support and 

development for academic staff 

Anyone delivering an OSPAP should be 

supported to develop in their 

professional roles. 

Standard 8 – Management of an 

OSPAP 

An OSPAP must be planned and 

maintained through transparent 

processes which must show who is 

responsible for what. 



The team was confident that the twelve criteria to meet this standard will be met. 

The documentation, along with discussions with staff and students, provided evidence that there was a range of mechanisms 

in place to support students as learners and professionals during the OSPAP. Students are given a comprehensive induction 

at that commencement of the programme and introduced to the library, the support facilities and learning skills. They are 

introduced to continual professional development (CPD) and personal development planning (PDP) and are encouraged to 

reflect on their learning. The personal tutor system supports the students when needed and there is a comprehensive range 

of academic, pastoral and other support services available across the university. 

The team was confident that the one criterion to meet this standard will be met. 

There is a range of mechanisms in place to support staff development. Aston University has a formal appraisal process for all 

employees (the Performance Development and Reward Scheme), central to which is the annual Performance Development 

and Review (PDR) meeting. This meeting addresses key achievements and challenges during the previous period, progress 

against previous objectives and notable contributions to the success of the teaching team. It also addresses aims and 

objectives for the forthcoming review period, together with any resources needed to achieve them. There are many training 

opportunities to assist staff development in both teaching and research offered through the University’s Centre for Staff 

Development. These include induction and initial professional development support for newly appointed staff and a 

programme of events to meet training and development needs. The Centre for Staff Development also disseminates 

information on training and development opportunities, provides funds for training and updating to meet institutional 

priorities and legal requirements and works in partnership with individuals, groups, schools and departments to meet 

identified needs. All new staff within Pharmacy (including teacher practitioners) are expected to complete the Aston 

Certificate in Learning and Teaching. In addition to the Performance Development and Reward Scheme, there is a mentoring 

system for all staff, which ensures that staff can discuss their personal development with someone not directly involved in 

making judgements about their performance. 

The team was confident that the three criteria to meet this standard will be met. 

The OSPAP is delivered within the School of Life and Health Sciences (LHS), led by the Executive Dean. The School Board is 

responsible for resources and for academic decisions within the school. Within the school, there is further separation of 

management function at subject level and each of the undergraduate subject areas (pharmacy, audiology, optometry, 

psychology, biology, biomedical sciences) has a Head of Subject, the Head of Pharmacy being Professor Yvonne Perrie. The 

Head of Pharmacy reports to the LHS senior management and is responsible for academic leadership, for representing 

pharmacy externally and for staff management, including work load allocation. The control of the pharmacy budget is 

devolved by the Executive Dean to the Head of Pharmacy. 

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Standard 9‐ Resources and capacity 

Resources and capacity are sufficient to 

deliver outcomes. 



The Head of Pharmacy is supported by a Pharmacy Management Team, which includes senior staff representatives of the 

major teaching areas and the programme directors, including the OSPAP programme director.The Pharmacy Management 

Team oversees the management of the Pharmacy Subject Group, its facilities and academic programmes. The OSPAP 

programme director is supported by an associate programme director and the module co‐ordinators, who are responsible for 

the day‐to‐day operation of their modules and are normally the primary contact point for students. They also have a key role 

in curriculum development.and are responsible for assessments within their modules, including exam preparation and 

collation and checking of examination marks. 

The OSPAP Programme Committee, which includes the module co‐ordinators, has overall responsibility for the development, 

design and review of the programme and serves as a forum for general discussion on key issues for the development and 

delivery of the programme. Accordingly, its principal roles are to review modules, address issues from external examiners’ 

reports and from internal and external review bodies, to monitor learning facilities and resources, to consider and respond to 

student feedback and to monitor the quality of teaching and learning on the programme. 

The OSPAP is taught in its entirety from within the Pharmacy Subject Group, with appropriate use of visiting specialists and 

other professionals. The staff profile covers the breadth of experience and expertise across the relevant disciplines to deliver 

the Pharmacy programmes, including the OSPAP and about 50% of the staff are registered pharmacists. 

The team was confident that the one criterion to meet this standard will be met. 

There are robust and transparent mechanisms for securing an appropriate level of resource for delivering the OSPAP, as 

evidenced by the recent investment in pharmacy infrastructure and staff, which clearly benefits the OSPAP programme. The 

teaching facilities, including computer laboratories, are modern, spacious and well equipped. There is good library and 

information technology support for the OSPAP and there are sound mechanisms in place to maintain such support. Aston 

University uses Blackboard as its virtual learning environment and OSPAP students make extensive use of this facility. The 

OSPAP programme, as well as the undergraduate pharmacy programme, benefit from the collaboration with Birmingham 

Children’s Hospital. This collaboration is aimed at supporting a two way exchange of staff between the two sites, to facilitate 

both new education and research Initiatives; the Deputy Chief Pharmacist at this hospital has a 50% appointment as a senior 

lecturer in the School of Life and Health Sciences. 

The pharmacy staff profile has been developed to support the integration of science within an embedded pharmacy 

education, such that all staff can contribute to the education and training of pharmacists; the profile covers the breadth of 

experience and expertise across the relevant disciplines to deliver the pharmacy programmes, including the OSPAP. During 

the appointment process, candidates must outline how their area of expertise contributes to pharmacy education. This 

ensures that all staff already have an implicit understanding of their role in the development of future pharmacists. 

Approximately 50% of staff in the pharmacy subject group, including the Head and Deputy Head and the OSPAP programme 

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Standard 10 ‐ Outcomes 

Outcomes for non‐EEA pharmacists 

wanting to register in Great Britain 



director, are registered pharmacists. The OSPAP is supported by several pharmacists through their visiting and honorary 

positions. Within the OSPAP programme, all personal tutors are pharmacists, with each tutor having approximately 6 OSPAP 

tutees. Thus, there are sufficient pharmacists to act as personal tutors, providing support and professional mentorship for 

the OSPAP students. 

All staff work within teaching groups, which comprise pharmacists and science academics. These teaching groups are led by 

pharmacists in collaboration with science academics, to ensure integration of science in a pharmaceutical context throughout 

the programme. This is then further developed through mentoring of all new staff and through working within a range of 

teams, including teaching groups and module teams under the supervision of the Programme Directors. The ability of staff 

within the Pharmacy Subject Group to contextualise their area is measured through student feedback and peer review, with 

a pharmacist reviewing a science academic and vice versa. 

Hospital pharmacy placements are planned and delivered by the teacher practitioner team. Placements in community 

pharmacy are co‐ordinated by a teaching fellow, supported by two teacher practitioners based in community pharmacy. The 

hospital and community teams work together to plan the overall provision of placement opportunities. 


The team scrutinised the standard10 learning outcomes (see Appendix 1) by discussions with the teaching staff in two 

parallel sessions comprising a ‘science’ session and a ‘practice’ session. Rather than examining each of the 58 outcomes in 

these sessions, a random selection of eight outcomes was chosen for detailed discussion. The outcomes chosen were 10.1h 

(‘Engage in multidisciplinary team working’), 10.2.1b (‘Access and critically evaluate evidence to support safe, rational & cost 

effective use of medicines’), 10.2.1g (‘Contribute to research and development activities to improve health outcomes’), 

10.2.2b (‘Identify inappropriate health behaviours and recommend suitable approaches to interventions’), 10.2.2j (‘Supply 

human and veterinary medicines safely and efficiently, consistently within legal requirements and best professional 

practice’), 10.2.3c (‘Verify safety and accuracy utilising pharmaceutical calculations’), 10.2.3f (‘Procure and store medicines 

and other pharmaceutical products working within a quality assurance framework’) and 10.2.4b (‘Obtain and record relevant 

patient medical, social and family history’). Additionally, before the event, the team had scrutinised all outcomes, using the 

documented evidence and some outcomes not discussed in these sessions were addressed in other discussions with staff and 

students. For each of the eight outcomes scrutinised in detail, the evidence provided by the discussions with the staff, along 

with other evidence provided with the documentation, gave the team confidence that these outcomes would be met at the 

required level. As these outcomes were selected at random, the team was confident that all other outcomes would be 

similarly met. This view was supported by the documented material for each of the other outcomes and the team was 

therefore confident that standard 10 will be met. 

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Indicative Syllabus The team was content that the indicative syllabus was adequately covered by the Aston OSPAP curriculum. 

Summary and conclusions 

The accreditation team agreed to the Registrar of the General Pharmaceutical Council that Aston University should be reaccredited to provider an OSPAP for a further 

period of three years. No conditions were set. 

The accreditation team made the following recommendation: 

• The team recognise the input to the programme of a number of visiting lecturers from healthcare professions. However, the team recommends that the school 

take further advantage of inter‐professional learning opportunities both within and external to the University, to improve provision of inter‐professional learning 

in the OSPAP at Aston. 

The accreditation team identified a number of strengths and areas for further consideration. These were: 

Strengths: 

• The quality of the refurbished estate and resources 

Areas for further consideration: 

• To further develop the provision of quality assured practice activities 

The team’s recommendations are not binding on the Registrar, who may accept, modify or reject them. The accreditation team’s feedback is confidential until it has 

been ratified by the Registrar of the General Pharmaceutical Council but the conclusions may be shared with staff and students internally. 

The full record includes other comments from the team and the General Pharmaceutical Council regards the record in its entirety as its formal view on provision. 

Providers are required to take all comments into account as part of the accreditation process. 

Standing condition of accreditation: 

These are the conditions which will apply in all circumstances of OSPAP accreditation: 

1. The school or department of pharmacy always seeks approval from the General Pharmaceutical Council for curriculum amendments and always at least informs 

the General Pharmaceutical Council of significant changes to pharmacy undergraduate student numbers or resources for their teaching, learning support and 

assessment, including any change from internal to teaching, learning and assessment from outside the school or department; 



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2. The school or department of pharmacy produces and submits to the General Pharmaceutical Council annually requested data on student numbers and 

progression and OSPAP awards; 

3. The school or department of pharmacy produces and submits to the General Pharmaceutical Council annually requested information about the extent of human 

and physical resources it enjoys for the delivery and support of the OSPAP; 

4. The school or department of pharmacy or the university makes students and potential students aware of the existence and Internet address where they can 

view the General Pharmaceutical Council’s summary reports of OSPAP accreditation exercises, main after‐actions therefrom and of the timetable for future 

accreditation exercises. 

The Pharmacy Order 2010 states: 

Part 5 Education, training and acquisition of experience and continuing professional development, Information to be given by institutions or other providers, 46. ... 

(3) Whenever required to do so by the Council, any institution or other provider to which this article applies must give to the Council such information and assistance as 

the Council may reasonably require in connection with the exercise of its functions under this Order. 

(4) Where an institution or other provider refuses any reasonable request for information made by the Council under this article, the Council may, in accordance with 

article 47 (‘Refusal or withdrawal of approval of courses, qualifications and institutions’), refuse to approve or withdraw approval from, any course of education or 

training, qualification, test or institution or other provider to which the information relates. 

It is a requirement of accreditation that institutions or other providers provide the GPhC proactively and in a timely manner with any information which is, or has the 

potential to be, material to the delivery of an accredited course. This includes, but is not limited to: changes in staffing, changes in funding, and/or substantial changes 

in curriculum or delivery. 

Reference: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/231/contents/made 

Caution: Preregistration and employment as a pharmacist: 

• In respect of all students, successful completion of an accredited course in not a guarantee of a placement for a pre‐registration year or of future employment 

as a pharmacist. 

Following the above accreditation event, the Registrar of the General Pharmaceutical Council agreed with the accreditation team’s recommendation 

and approved the course for reaccreditation for a further three years. 



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Appendix 1 ‐ Standards for the education and training of non‐EEA pharmacists wanting to register in Great Britain 

Standard 1 – Patient and public safety 

1. There must be clear procedures to address concerns about patient safety arising from pharmacy education and training. Concerns must be 

addressed immediately. 

1.1. There must be effective systems in place to ensure that students: 

1.1.a do not jeopardise patient safety; 

1.1.b only do tasks for which they are competent, sometimes under supervision; 

1.1.c are monitored and assessed to ensure they always practice safely. Causes for concern should be addressed immediately; 

1.1.d have access to support for health, conduct and academic issues; 

1.1.e must not be awarded an OSPAP if they might pose a risk to patients or the public; 

1.1.f understand what is and what is not professional behaviour and are familiar with the GPhC’s Code of Conduct for Pharmacy Students (2010)Standards of 

conduct, ethics and performance (2010); 

1.1.g understand what fitness to practise mechanisms apply to them. All schools of pharmacy must have fitness to practise procedures to deal with student 

causes for concern; 

1.1.h undergo required health and good character checks; 

1.1.i understand that it is an offence to impersonate a pharmacist. Pharmacists are registrants of the GPhC. 



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Standard 2 – Monitoring, review and evaluation of an OSPAP 

2. The quality of an OSPAP must be monitored, reviewed and evaluated in a systematic and developmental way. 

2.1 There must be systems and policies in place covering the following: 

2.1.a information about roles & responsibilities and lines of accountability; 

2.1.b university information on: 

i. entry requirements; 

ii. the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; 

iii. the quality of placements and other practice learning opportunities; 

iv. appraisal and feedback systems for students; 

v. supervision requirements; 

vi. educational resources and capacity; 

These must be monitored, reviewed and evaluated systematically. When an issue is identified it must be documented and dealt with promptly; 

Standard 3 – Equality, diversity and fairness 

3. OSPAPs must be based on principles of equality, diversity and fairness. It must meet the requirements of all relevant legislation. 

3.1 systems and policies for capturing equality and diversity data. Concerns should be documented, addressed and disseminated; 

3.2 strategies for staff training in equality and diversity 



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Standard 4 – Selection of students 

4. Selection processes must be open, fair and comply with relevant legislation. Processes must ensure students are fit to practise as students at the 

point of selection. Selection includes admissions. 

4.1 Selection processes must give applicants the information they need to make an informed application. 

4.2 Selection criteria must be explicit. They should include: 

4.2.a meeting the GPhC’s adjudication requirements; 

4.2.b meeting academic and professional entry requirements; 

4.2.c meeting numeracy requirements; 

4.2.d recognising prior learning, where that is appropriate. 

4.3 Selectors should apply selection criteria fairly. They should be trained to do this. Training should include equality and diversity awareness. 

Standard 5 – Curriculum delivery and the student experience 

5. The curriculum for OSPAPs must deliver the outcomes in Standard 10. Most importantly, curricula must ensure students practise safely and 

effectively. To ensure this, pass criteria must describe safe and effective practice. 

5.1 Curricula must be integrated. By this the GPhC does not mean that an OSPAP and pre‐registration training must be delivered as single two tear course, but that the 

component parts of an OSPAP must be linked in a coherent way. 

5.2 Curricula must be progressive, dealing with issues in increasing more complex ways until the right level of understanding is reached. 

5.3 An OSPAP must be delivered in an environment which places study in a professional and academic context and requires students to conduct themselves 

professionally. 

5.4 An OSPAP must be delivered in an environment informed by research. This means that whether or not all staff are engaged in research, their teaching must be 

informed by current research. 

5.5 An OSPAP teaching and learning strategy must set out how students will achieve the outcomes in Standard 10. Learning opportunities must be structured to 



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provide: 

5.5.a an integrated experience of relevant science and pharmacy practice; 

5.5.b a balance of theory and practice 

5.5.c independent learning skills 

5.6 The OSPAP curriculum must include practical experience of working with patients, carers and other healthcare professionals. We are not suggesting that off‐site 

placement visits are the only way to achieve this. Schools should articulate their strategy for meeting this criterion, which may include off‐site placement visits, 

using patients, carers and other healthcare professions in‐class and simulations. 

5.7 There must be a clear assessment strategy for the OSPAP. Assessment methods must measure the outcomes in Standard 10. 

5.8 The OSPAP assessment strategy should include: 

5.8.a diagnostic assessments; 

5.8.b formative assessments; 

5.8.c summative assessments; 

5.8.d timely feedback. 

5.9 Academic regulations must be appropriate for a postgraduate qualification that is both academic and professional and may lead to further professional training. 

As a general principle, all assessments must be passed. This means that condonation, compensation, trailing, extended re‐sit opportunities and other remedial 

measures should be extremely limited, if they are permitted at all. Course academic regulations may be more stringent than university norms. This may include 

higher than usual pass marks for assessments demonstrating knowledge and skills essential to safe and effective pharmacy practice. 

5.10 Marking criteria must be used for all assessments and all pass criteria must reflect safe and effective practice. 

5.11 Patient safety must be paramount in assessments: any evidence of an assessment demonstrating unsafe practise must result in failure. 

5.12 OSPAPs must include an induction programme orientating students to study in the UK. The programme should include diagnostic testing. 

Standard 6 – Support and development for students 

6. Students must be supported to develop as learners and professionals during their OSPAPs. 

6.1. A range of mechanisms must be in place to support students to develop as learners and professionals. 



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Standard 7 – Support and development for academic staff 

7. Anyone delivering an OSPAP should be supported to develop in their professional roles. 

7.1. There must be a range of mechanisms in place to support anyone delivering an OSPAP to develop in their professional role. 

7.2. Induction programmes are provided for tutors and university staff as appropriate. This should include induction programmes for non‐pharmacists working on an 

OSPAP. 

7.3. Everyone involved in delivering the curriculum should have: 

7.3.a effective supervision; 

7.3.b an appropriate and realistic workload; 

7.3.c effective personal support; 

7.3.d mentoring; 

7.3.e time to learn; 

7.3.f continuing professional development opportunities. 

Standard 8 – Management of an OSPAP 

8. An OSPAP must be planned and maintained through transparent processes which must show who is responsible for what. 

8.1. All OSPAPs must be supported by a defined management plan with: 

8.1.a a schedule of responsibilities; 

8.1.b defined structures and processes to manage the delivery of an OSPAP. 



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Standard 9 – Resources and capacity 

9. Resources and capacity are sufficient to deliver outcomes. 

9.1 There must be: 

9.1.a robust and transparent mechanisms for securing an appropriate level of resource for delivering an OSPAP; 

9.1.b sufficient staff from relevant disciplines to deliver the curriculum to students. Staff must be appropriately qualified and experienced. The staffing profile 

must include: 

9.1.b.i sufficient numbers of pharmacists – registrants of the GPhC – with experience of teaching in higher education to ensure that an OSPAP can 

produce students equipped to enter pharmacist pre‐registration training in Great Britain. 

9.1.b.ii sufficient numbers of pharmacists to act as tutors and professional mentors at university and in pre‐registration. Not all personal tutors must 

be pharmacists. 

9.1.b.iii pharmacists who are leaders in the profession and in their university, who can influence university policy relevant to pharmacy 

9.1.b.iv non‐pharmacist academics who can influence school and university policy relevant to pharmacy 

9.1.b.v staff who are sufficiently experienced to supervise research. It would be unusual for anyone to supervise research at a particular level unless 

they had researched to that level or beyond. New research supervisors must be mentored and signed off as being fit to supervise after a 

period of mentoring 

9.1.b.vi science academics who understand the relevance of their discipline to pharmacy and deliver their area of expertise in a pharmaceutical 

context 

9.1.b.vii academic pharmacists and other experienced pharmacy staff who are able to act as mentors to non‐pharmacist colleagues 

9.1.c career pathways in universities for all staff teaching on OSPAPs, including pathways for practice staff; 

9.1.d clear lines of authority and responsibility for the strategic organisation and day‐to‐day management of placements; 

9.1.e training and ongoing support for all non‐pharmacists involved in the delivery of OSPAPs, which must help them understand: 

9.1.f.i help and understand the relevance of their work to pharmacy 

9.1.f.ii how to deliver their area of expertise in a pharmaceutical context 

9.1.f appropriate learning resources 

9.1.g accommodation and facilities that are fit for purpose 



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Outcomes for non‐EEA pharmacists wanting to register in Great Britain 

10.1 Expectations of a pharmacy professional 

Note: Not all outcomes will be met on an OSPAP. In designing the course, providers make a judgement about which outcomes will have been met 

previously by their students, who will have trained to be pharmacists outside the EEA. 

Learning outcome 

OSPAP Pre‐reg 

(for reference 

only) 

a. Recognise ethical dilemmas & respond in accordance with relevant codes of conduct and behaviour Shows how Does 

b. Recognise the duty to take action if a colleague’s health, performance or conduct is putting patients or public at risk Knows how Knows how 

c. Recognise personal health needs, consult and follow the advice of a suitably qualified professional, and protect patients or public Does Does 

from any risk posed by personal health 

d. Apply the principles of clinical governance in practice Knows how Does 

e. Demonstrate how the science of pharmacy is applied in the design and development of medicines and devices Shows how Knows how 

f. Contribute to the education and training of other members of the team, including peer review and assessment Shows how Does 

g. Contribute to the development of other members of the team through coaching and feedback Knows how Shows how 

h. Engage in multidisciplinary team working Knows how Does 

10.2 The skills required in practice 

10.2.1 Implementing health policy 





a. Promote healthy lifestyles by facilitating access to and understanding of health promotion information Shows how Does 

b. Access & critically evaluate evidence to support safe, rational & cost effective use of medicines Shows how Does 

c. Use the evidence base to review current practice Shows how Shows how 

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d. Apply knowledge of current pharmacy‐related policy to improve health outcomes Shows how Shows how 

e. Collaborate with patients, the public and other healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes Knows how Does 

f. Play an active role with public and professional groups to promote improved health outcomes Knows how Knows how 

g. Contribute to research & development activities to improve health outcomes Knows how Knows how 

h. Provide evidence‐ based medicines information Shows how Does 

i. Respond appropriately to medical emergencies, including provision of first aid Knows how Shows how 

10.2.2 Validating therapeutic approaches and supplies prescribed and over‐the‐counter medicines 





a. Identify and employ the appropriate diagnostic or physiological testing techniques in order to promote health Knows how Shows how 

b. Identify inappropriate health behaviours and recommend suitable approaches to interventions Shows how Does 

c. Instruct patients in the safe and effective use of their medicines and devices Shows how Does 

d. Analyse prescriptions for validity and clarity Shows how Does 

e. Clinically evaluate the appropriateness of prescribed medicines Shows how Does 

f. Provide, monitor and modify prescribed treatment to maximise health outcomes Shows how Does 

g. Communicate with patients about their prescribed treatment Shows how Does 

h. Optimise treatment for individual patient needs in collaboration with the prescriber Shows how Does 

i. Record, maintain and store patient data Shows how Does 

j. Supply medicines safely and efficiently, consistently within legal requirements and best professional practice. 

NB This should be demonstrated in relation to both human and veterinary medicines. 

Shows how Does 

10.2.3 Ensuring safe and effective systems are in place to manage risk inherent in the practice of pharmacy and the delivery of pharmaceutical services 



a. Ensure quality of ingredients to produce medicines and products ‐ Shows how 

b. Apply pharmaceutical principles to the formulation, preparation and packaging of products Shows how Shows how 

c. Use pharmaceutical calculations to verify the safety of doses and administration rates Does Does 

d. Develop quality management systems including maintaining appropriate records Shows how Shows how 

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e. Manage and maintain quality management systems including maintaining appropriate records 



Shows how Does 

f. Procure and store medicines and other pharmaceutical products working within a quality assurance framework Knows how Does 

g. Distribute medicines safely, legally and effectively Knows how Does 

h. Dispose of medicines safely, legally and effectively Knows how Does 

i. Manage resources in order to ensure work flow and minimise risk in the workplace Knows how Shows how 

j. Take personal responsibility for health and safety Knows how Does 

k. Work effectively within teams to ensure safe and effective systems are being followed Knows how Does 

l. Ensure the application of appropriate infection control measures Shows how Does 

m. Supervise others involved in service delivery Knows how Does 

n. Identify, report and prevent errors and unsafe practice Shows how Does 

o. Procure, store and dispense and supply veterinary medicines safely and legally Knows how Knows how 

10.2.4 Working with patients and the public 



a. Establish and maintain patient relationships while identifying patients’ desired health outcomes and priorities Shows how Does 

b. Obtain and record relevant patient medical, social and family history Shows how Does 

c. Identify and employ the appropriate diagnostic or physiological testing techniques to inform clinical decision making Knows how Shows how 

d. Communicate information about available options in a way which promotes understanding Shows how Does 

e. Support the patient in choosing an option by listening and responding to their concerns and respecting their decisions Shows how Does 

f. Conclude consultation to ensure a satisfactory outcome Shows how Does 

g. Maintain accurate and comprehensive consultation records Shows how Does 

h. Provide accurate written or oral information appropriate to the needs of patients, the public or other healthcare professionals Shows how Does 

10.2.5 Maintaining and improving professional performance 



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a. Demonstrate the characteristics of a prospective professional pharmacist as set out in relevant codes of conduct and behaviour Does Does 

b. Reflect on personal and professional approaches to practice Does Does 

c. Create and implement a personal development plan Does Does 

d. Review and reflect on evidence to monitor performance and revise professional development plan Does Does 

e. Participate in audit and in implementing recommendations Knows how Shows how 

f. Contribute to identifying learning and development needs of team members Knows how Does 

g. Contribute to the development and support of individuals and teams Knows how Does 

h. Anticipate and lead change Knows how Shows how 

Indicative syllabus 

A1.1 How medicines work 

Therapeutics 

• Routes of administration 

• New therapeutic advances 

• Infection control 

• Complementary therapies 

• Clinical therapeutic uses of drugs 

Applied Physical, Chemical and Biological sciences 

• Sources and purification of medicinal substances 

• Physicochemical characteristics of drugs and biological systems 

• Thermodynamics and chemical kinetics 

• (Bio)Analytical principles and methods 

• Drug design and discovery 

• Cell and molecular biology 

• Biochemistry 



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• Genetics 

• Microbiology 

• Immunology 

• Pharmaceutical chemistry 

• Drug identification 

• Drug synthesis 

Pharmacology, pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics 

• Contraindications, adverse reactions and drug interactions 

• ADME 

• Prediction of drug properties 

• Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics 

• Drug and substance misuse 

• Clinical toxicology and drug‐over‐exposure 

• Molecular basis of drug action 

• Metabolism 

Pharmaceutical technology including manufacturing & engineering science 

• Biotechnology 

• Manufacturing methods 

• Quality assurance processes 

• Sterilisation and asepsis 

• Environmental control in manufacturing 

Formulation and material science 

• Materials used in formulations and devices 

• Biopharmaceutics, developmental pharmaceutics, pre‐formulation and formulation studies 



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• Design and standardization of medicines 

• Microbiological contamination 

• Contamination control 

• Product stability 

• Medical devices 

A1.2 How people work 

Normal & abnormal structure & function 

• Nutrition 

• Physiology 

• Pathology 

• Infective processes 

Sociology 

• Social and behavioural science 

Health psychology 

• Health promotion 

• Disease prevention 

• Behavioural medicine 

Objective diagnosis 

• Differential diagnosis 

• Symptom recognition 

• Diagnostic tests 

Epidemiology 

• Aetiology and epidemiology of (major) diseases 



22

A1.3 How systems work 

Healthcare management 

• Public health 

• Organisations: NHS,DH, govt priorities 

• Other professionals 

• Health care systems 

Evidence‐based practice 

• Health information systems/ resources 

• Health policy and (pharmaco)economics 

Professional regulation 

• Legislation 

• Professional ethics and fitness to practise 

• Sale and supply of medicines 

• CPD 

• Political and legal framework 

Medicines regulation 

• Evaluation and regulation of new drugs and medicines 

• Pharmacopoeial specifications and biological standards 

• Medicines licensing 

• Product quality, safety and efficacy 

• The supply chain 

• Packaging, labelling and patient information 

Clinical governance 



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• SOPs 

• Research methodology / research ethics 

• Risk & quality management 

• Good manufacturing/dispensing practice 

• Good clinical practice 

• Health policy, clinical and science research methods 

Clinical management 

• Disease management 

• Chronic medicines management 

• Medicines use review 

• Care planning 

Workplace Regulation 

• Health & Safety 

• Sexual boundaries 

• Independent Safeguarding Authority 

• Data protection 

• FOIA 

• Consumer protection incl. complaints procedures 

A1.4 Core and transferable skills 

Professionalism 

Research and research methods 

Critical appraisal 

• Audit and learning from errors 

Problem solving 

• Study skills 



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• Team‐working skills 

Clinical decision making 

• Leadership skills 

Accurate record keeping 

Reflective practice (incl. continuing professional development) 

Effective communication 

• Interpersonal skills 

• Medical terminology 

Interpret & interrogate clinical data 

Analyse & use numerical data 

Pharmaceutical numeracy 

Technological literacy 

A1.5 Attitudes and values 

See the GPhC Code of Conduct for pharmacy students (2010) and Standards of conduct, ethics and performance (2010) 



25

Appendix 2 – list of appendices provided as evidence for each standard 

Appendix 1 Appendix 5 

1.1 – University Fitness to Practise Regulations. 5.1 – OSPAP Programme Specification 2011‐2012 

1.2 – University Student Disciplinary Regulations 5.2 – OSPAP Module Specifications 

1.3 – Summary of OSPAP Fitness to Practise Referral Pathways 5.3 – Professional visit form 

1.4 – Student Code of Conduct 5.4 – LHS research Groups and Membership 

1.5 – OSPAP Fitness to Practise forms 5.5 – OSPAP Teaching and Learning Strategy 

1.6 – PHMPP3 Module Specification Appendix 6 

1.7 – PHMSK1 Community Pharmacy Visit Introductory slides 6.1 – CPD plans 

1.8 – OSPAP External Community Teaching Workbook 2011 2012 6.2 – PDP plans 

1.9 – Pharmacy Fitness to Practise Report 2010‐2011 6.3 – OSPAP Pre Registration Information 2011‐2012 

2.1 – Module Reflections Forms 2010‐2011 6.4 – Email template for new OSPAP student 


2.2 – Action plans, external reports and responses 7.1 – Performance Development review information 

2.3 – LHS PG Annual Monitoring Reports 7.2 – PDR reward scheme 

2.4 – Previous Internal Review Document 7.3 – Guidelines for PDR meeting 

2.5 – University Learning and Teaching Committee 7.4 – PDR overview 

2.6 – OSPAP Programme Committee Minutes 7.5 – PDR questions 

2.7 – LHS Learning and Teaching Committee 7.6 – PDR Forms 

2.8 – Job Descriptions – LHS and OSPAP 7.7 – Aston Certificate 

2.9 – Pre‐registration Pass Rates 7.8 – Example of staff development information 

2.10 – Postgraduate Student Satisfaction Survey 7.9 – ILM evidence 

2.11 – Staff Student Consultative Committee minutes 7.10 – Leadership & management qualifications framework 

2.12 – End of Year Evaluation 7.11 – Mentoring for staff information 

2.13 – OSPAP Practice Placements 7.12 – University staff development policy 

2.14 ‐ Chief Pharmacist Meetings 7.13 – Example of online support for staff (Equality and Diversity) 

2.15 – Placement Monitoring 7.14 – Example information available on LHS staff VLE 

2.16 – Policy on Student Feedback 7.15 – LHS Management structure 

2.17 – ICT User Group Terms of Reference Appendix 8 

Appendix 3 8.1 – School Management structure 

3.1 – Equality & Diversity Monitoring 8.2 – School Board Membership and TOR 

3.2 – Age Code of Practice 8.3 – School Board example agenda 

3.3 – Staff Disability Policy 8.4 – School Board example minutes 



26

3.4 – Disability Equality scheme 8.5 – School Senior Management Team (SMT) 

3.5 – Race and Equality Scheme 8.6 – SMT example Agenda 

3.6 – Gender Equality Scheme 8.7 – SMT example Minutes 

3.7 – Religion & Belief Code 8.8 – Pharmacy Management Team example notes 

3.8 – Sexual orientation code 8.9 – Pharmacy Subject Group Agenda 

3.9 – Prevention of Harassment 8.10 – Pharmacy Subject Group minutes 

3.10 – Domestic Violence Policy 8.11 – Programme Specification 

3.11 – Gender, Progress, Power 8.12 – Student Handbook 

3.12 – crossing boundaries 8.13 ‐ Summary of SLAs 

3.13 – Intercultural Competency Framework 8.14 – Example SLA Hospital 

3.14 – student complaints Procedure 8.15 – Example of community pharmacy agreement 

3.15 – Examples Equality & diversity report and Action plan 8.16 – SLA senior lecturer appointment 


4.1 – Web Application Information 9.1 – Summary Pharmacy Income and Expenditure 

4.2 – Postgraduate Prospectus 9.2 – Aston Pharmacy school staff profiles 

4.3 – Offer Letter to an OSPAP Applicant 9.3 – Summary of Pharmacy staff teaching qualifications 

4.4 – Information about Future registration 9.4 – Example of peer review 

4.1 – Web Application Information 9.5 ‐ Accommodation for pharmacy 

Appendix 10 

10.1 – Standards Map 



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(OSPAP) Aston University - General Pharmaceutical Council

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