Registration with the Society is governed by the procedures set out in the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order 2007, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (Registration) Rules 2007.
For the Order and the Rules, click here
Under article 11 of the Order, before an applicant can be registered with the Society, he must satisfy the Registrar that he has the appropriate qualifications, training and experience required for registration, and that his fitness to practise is not impaired. This includes a requirement to satisfy the Registrar that the applicant is in good health and of good character.
The different routes to the Register are set out in a flowchart and described below:
Nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) possessing a European pharmacy qualification and who wish to apply to join the Register must first download the Society's information pack and provide the information requested. For a copy of the information pack click on the link below:
For contact details for the EEA competent authorities, click on the link below:
For information on English language competence, click on the link below:
For information for potential employers of EEA pharmacists, click on the link below:
After receiving and verifying the information requested, the Society will send them an appropriate application for registration form.
Please note that persons who hold qualifications obtained outside the EEA, or non-EEA nationals who hold European pharmacy qualifications (other than a UK pharmacy qualification), are not entitled to apply for registration with the Society, unless they have first:
Important information - please read carefully
The UK Borders Agency (UKBA) have now confirmed that the occupation of community pharmacist will not be on the Shortage Occupation List that UKBA uses in determining whether or not to grant work permits to non-EU overseas pharmacists.
There will not be another review of this decision until Autumn 2010.
Please note that this decision may affect your eligibility to work as a community pharmacist in Great Britain.
Therefore, before you make an application to start the qualifying process i.e. the one-year OSPAP and the one-year pre-registration training (and the Society's registration examination) you are advised to carefully consider the current information provided by the UKBA to clarify whether or not you will be able to obtain the necessary visas and work permits. Information is provided by the UKBA at the following link:
If you have any questions relating to the Shortage Occupation List please contact UKBA directly. The Society is unable to deal with questions about visa and work permit issues.
In accepting any application to start the qualifying process the Society does not provide any assurances or guarantees that you will be able to begin pre-registration training or work as a community pharmacist following registration with the Society.
For information about how to apply to join an Overseas Pharmacists Assessment Programme, click here
For information about preregistration training, click here
For information about the Society's registration examination, click here
For details of the application procedure for pharmacists who have obtained a qualification from Northern Ireland, please click on the link below:
Contact:
Tel: 020 7572 2317
Fax: 020 7572 2510
e-mail: overseas@rpsgb.org
Technicians For information about technicians and other pharmacy support staff, click here