The Standards for Foundation Training Year set out the requirements for training and apply to trainees, prospective trainees, Educational Supervisors and employing organisations. The primary purpose of these Standards is to ensure that trainees receive appropriate training, supervision and support during the Foundation Training Year so that they are well prepared to sit the Common Registration Assessment and, thereafter, practise as independent practitioners.
The application process for the Foundation Training Year 2023/24 will be in two stages.
Stage 1 requires students to apply to join the ‘student register’ of the Pharmaceutical Society NI. Once Stage 1 is completed, students can then apply for Stage 2.
Stage 2 requires students to apply to NICPLD (Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development), to join the Foundation Training Programme. NICPLD is responsible for the delivery, operation and management of the foundation training programme and will be students’ main point of contact after Stage 1 is complete and throughout the Foundation Training Year.
How will the application process work?
The two-stage application process involves the following:
Stage 1: In early 2023, students will be invited to apply to join the Pharmaceutical Society NI student register. This will be an online application process. The application will outline all the details needed to successfully complete the process. However, the following information will be required, and students should make sure they have all the necessary information readily available:
- personal details (name, home address and contact details);
- details of where you are undertaking your MPharm degree course;
- confirmation of identity i.e. solicitor certified copy of birth certificate/marriage certificate, if applicable;
- certified passport style photo;
- solicitor certified copy of your passport identity page;
- any relevant fitness to practise and/or health declarations; and
- the registration fee (£206).
Students should note that confirmation of entry onto the student register and, therefore, confirmation of eligibility to undertake the Foundation Training Year, will be subject to Pharmaceutical Society NI receiving confirmation that you have successfully completed your MPharm degree course.
The Pharmaceutical Society NI will only accept solicitor certified copies of originals. Do not sent original documents.
Further information about certification of documents and how to submit evidence that you have successfully been awarded an MPharm degree (after completing your degree) will be outlined in the online application.
Stage 2: After successfully completing Stage 1, NICPLD will contact eligible students with details of the NICPLD online application process. Please note, if students do not successfully complete Stage 1, they will not be contacted by NICPLD to complete Stage 2.
To successfully complete Stage 2, students will be required to submit details of their planned training arrangements, including:
- anticipated start date;
- details of their training site(s);
- name(s) of educational supervisors(s); and
- employer
Students will also be required to make a health declaration relating to any health conditions that may impact on their ability to practise safely and effectively and undertake the Foundation Training Year.
On completion of the online application, NICPLD will contact students’ Educational Supervisor(s) and employer(s) directly via email to ask them to confirm information contained in your application and to commit to their role in delivering workplace training within their pharmacy site.
Anticipated timelines for application:
Stage 1: the online application process to join the student register of the Pharmaceutical Society NI will begin in 3 January 2023 and will be open for 4 weeks.
Stage 2: the application process to join NICPLD’s Foundation Training Year will begin on 21 February 2023 and will close at 12 noon on Friday, 10 March 2023. Applications received after the closing date WILL NOT be accepted.
The link to the Stage 1 online application process, and further details, will go live on Monday 3 January at 12.00pm.
The online application will be available from 12pm, Monday 3 January 2023.
When signing up for your account you must enter your forenames and surname as exactly as detailed on your birth certificate. For example, if your name is Jane Liz Smith, you should enter ‘Jane Liz’ in the forename box and ‘Smith’ in the surname box.
We have provided you with a checklist to assist you with your application, see below:
When completing your application, the system will save the details entered when you click the ‘next’ button at the end of each page.
You may see the phrase ‘annual retention’ on the payments screen, currently we are also processing payments for premises annual retention, please continue and make your payment for your application.
When uploading supporting documents please name the files as FirstNameLastNameDocumentName.
To sign up to the Pharmaceutical Society NI portal please click here and ‘Register for a new account’.
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NB The NICPLD application process (Stage 2) closes on 10 March 2023. Before applying to join the student register you must contact NICPLD for confirmation that they will accept you on to the Foundation Training Year programme.
Photograph and FormWhen applying to join the student register you must submit, via upload, a recent passport style photograph (taken within the last 6 months) which has been certified on the back. The photograph must clearly show your face and be of a high quality (the standard and composition to apply for a passport). Your photograph must be certified, signed, and dated by a professional person, or a person of standing in the community. Examples include a pharmacist, a university lecturer, a registered solicitor, or a licensed Medical Practitioner. You must upload both sides of the photograph.
- The person providing the countersignature must not be related to you by birth or marriage;
- Neither should they be in a personal relationship with you nor live at your address
- The signatory must have known you for at least two years;
- The certification on the back of the photograph should read: “I certify this is a true likeness of [applicant’s full name]”and,
- The photograph must be signed and dated by the signatory under the certification
Photograph Form (this must accompany he certified photograph)
You must post both the hard copy of the certified photograph and photograph form alongside your additional supporting documents to the Pharmaceutical Society NI.
Documents required in support of an application to join the student register, are as follows:
Applicants must hold a MPharm degree/OSPAP from a UK-based university recognised by the Pharmaceutical Society NI or the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Once you have completed your degree course, your University must provide the Pharmaceutical Society NI with evidence that you have passed your MPharm before you can join the student register and begin training. You must ensure that your University provides this evidence, this must be emailed to pre-registration@psni.org.uk.
NB – QUB and UU provide this confirmation automatically. For applicants from all other GB universities, it is your responsibility to contact your university and ensure that we have this evidence before you start otherwise you will not be able to begin training.
Please note that you are also required to upload a solicitor certified copy of your MPharm degree certificate within 2 months of receiving it from your university. You will be able to upload this via the Pharmaceutical Society NI portal. A hard copy of the solicitors certified degree certificate must also be posted.
If you already have completed your MPharm degree and have your certificate, you may upload this after making payment via the portal homepage.
An applicant must upload a solicitor certified copy of their passport identity page (including the photograph) via the online application. Please note applicants do not have to include all the blank pages of their passport in the copy. The organisation needs to see the identification pages and any validity extension page.
Applicants must upload a solicitor certified copy of their birth certificate where possible (translated as necessary – see guidance on translations) via the online application. Where an applicant is unable to provide a birth certificate, they should complete Declaration A. This declaration is provided in the online application.
Applicants who have changed their name by marriage must upload a solicitor certified copy of their marriage certificate (translated as necessary) via the online application.
If an applicant has changed their name other than by marriage, then they should complete Declaration B. This declaration is provided in the online application.
An applicant’s name should be exactly the same (letter for letter) on all documents provided. If an applicant’s name appears differently to that on their birth or marriage certificate or any of their documents, they should complete Declaration C. This declaration is provided in the online application.
Where a certified copy of a document is provided this must be certified as a true copy of the original. Certification must be by a solicitor with the declaration: ‘I certify that I have seen the original document and this this is a true copy of the original’. The copy must be signed and dated and have the official solicitors stamp also giving details of the name and address of the solicitor certifying the documentation. No alterations or corrections are permitted (e.g. liquid paper). If a document has been signed on the reverse, or contains multiple pages, all pages must be uploaded.
If any of the documentation is not in English, an applicant is required to upload a solicitor certified translation in English as well as a solicitor certified copy of the original via the online application. The following requirements must be met:
- The translation must be completed by an authorised translator;
- It must be a literal translation – not an interpretation of the original document;
- All certification and ink stamps on the original document must also be translated;
- The translator must put their business stamp on each document translated, sign and date the statement “this is a true and accurate translation”. All documents should by uploaded and accompanied by a list of documents translated. This list must be signed and stamped by the translator.
All supporting documents, including the photograph and form, that have been uploaded via the online application must also be posted in hard copy. Please ensure your name and application number are clearly marked on each document and post to:
Foundation Training Year Applications
The Pharmaceutical Society NI
73 University Street
Belfast
BT71HL
You are advised to send all supporting documents together using a traceable method of postage.
The Pharmaceutical Society NI will only accept solicitor certified copies of originals.
Do not send original documents.
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The fee to join the student register is £206, this must be paid when completing your online application.
NICPLD will shortly be providing further supporting information to Educational supervisors and employers. NICPLD will provide further information about accreditation courses for pharmacists wishing to act as educational supervisor for the 2022/23 Foundation training year.
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Before starting the foundation training year operated by NICPLD, you must be approved to join the student register by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. This is a legal requirement.
To be approved, we need confirmation from a UK University that you have been awarded an MPharm degree or OSPAP.
If you fail your MPharm and plan to re-sit later in the year, it is likely that you will need to change some of the details of your planned training arrangements including adjusting your start date to training. In terms of next steps, you should contact NICPLD as soon as possible to inform them that you are required to undertake a resit. NICPLD will be able to advise about what you need to do to make changes to your planned training arrangements and advise on likely start dates to training should you pass your MPharm. You also should inform your employer.
If you pass your re-sit, please note that we will only accept confirmation of evidence of an award of MPharm degree directly from your university (i.e. an email confirmation from a senior member of your school’s academic staff sent directly to Pharmaceutical Society NI) confirming that you have been awarded an MPharm.
Your university must send the confirmation email to: pre-registration@psni.org.uk.
Once the results of resits are known, you are reminded that it is your responsibility to make the necessary arrangements with your university in a timely manner to avoid undue delays in processing your application to join the student register and to allow NICPLD sufficient time to process your application to enter into the Foundation Training Year.
Please note that it may take up to 7 working days for the Pharmaceutical Society NI to process and approve your application to join the student register following confirmation from your university that you have passed, though we will endeavour to complete processing as soon as practically possible. You should be aware that NICPLD will also need to process and approve your application to enter the Foundation Training Year. Please bear this in mind when agreeing a new start date with your employer, as you will not be able to start training until after we have received confirmation of your result and NICPLD have confirmed your start date to training.
Sitting the Common Registration Assessment
The Common Registration Assessment normally occurs each year in the Summer and Autumn. Due to the delay in achieving your MPharm in the normal timeframe and the subsequent delay to starting foundation training year, it is likely that your first attempt at the Common Registration Assessment will also be delayed. This is due to certain legal eligibility requirements that must be met before you are permitted to sit the registration assessment.
Arrangements and dates for next year’s UK-wide Common Registration Assessment are still being finalised and will be published as soon as possible.
Submission of a solicitor certified copy of MPharm degree certificate:
Please note that once you have graduated and you have a degree certificate from your university, you are reminded that you need to upload a scanned copy of your degree certificate (note: the degree certificate must be certified by a solicitor) via the application tab on your portal homepage.
You will also need to send this by hard copy to our office:
Foundation Training Year Applications
Pharmaceutical Society NI
73 University Street
Belfast
BT7 1HL
You are advised to send your solicitor certified degree certificate via a traceable method of postage. No documents can be returned.
Do not send originals.
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Before starting the Foundation Training Year operated by NICPLD, you must be approved to join the student register by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. This is a legal requirement.
We recognise that you are unlikely to have your degree certificate until you graduate. Therefore, to be approved, we need confirmation from a UK University that you have been awarded an MPharm degree or OSPAP.
We will only accept confirmation of evidence of an award of MPharm degree directly from your university (i.e. an email confirmation from a senior member of your school’s academic staff sent directly to Pharmaceutical Society NI) confirming that you been awarded your MPharm.
Your university must send the confirmation email to: pre-registration@psni.org.uk.
Once the results are known, to avoid undue delays in processing your application to join the student register and to allow NICPLD sufficient time to process your application to enter into the Foundation Training Year, you should make arrangements with your university to provide us with confirmation that you have been awarded an MPharm degree as soon as possible.
You can forward on your MPharm certificate after graduation following the instructions below:
Submission of a solicitor certified copy of MPharm degree certificate:
Please note that once you have graduated and you have a degree certificate from your university, you are reminded that you need to upload a scanned copy of your degree certificate (note: the degree certificate must be certified by a solicitor) via the application tab on your portal homepage.
You will also need to send this by hard copy to our office:
Foundation Training Year Applications
Pharmaceutical Society NI
73 University Street
Belfast
BT7 1HL
You are advised to send your solicitor certified degree certificate via a traceable method of postage. No documents can be returned.
Do not send originals.
Q: On successfully completing the sign-up page I did not receive an email to allow me to verify my account.
A: The email is sent to the email address with which you signed up. Please ensure you have checked your junk or spam mail folders.
Q: I have verified my portal account, but I can’t log in as I have forgotten my password.
A: You can reset your password, via the password reset button on the login page. Follow the instructions on screen to complete resetting your password.
Q: I have finished my MPharm and already have my degree certificate at the time of my application. Do I need to upload this after submitting my application to join the student register?
A: When completing the form, you should confirm that you already have your MPharm degree certificate, a degree certificate tick box becomes available inside the supporting documents section, which you should tick and upload your solicitor certified degree certificate. A hard copy of the solicitors certified degree certificate must also be posted to our offices.
Q: I have not yet finished my MPharm, when I do receive my degree certificate how do I upload it?
A: Once you have graduated you are required to upload a solicitor certified copy of your MPharm degree certificate within 2 months of receiving it from your university. You will be able to upload this via the application tab on your portal homepage. A hard copy of the solicitors certified degree certificate must also be posted to our offices.
Q: I submitted my application to join the student register and have not yet made payment, is my application ready to be processed?
A: An application is only considered complete when a payment has been made and all hard copies of the correct supporting documents are received by post to our offices.
Q: I have submitted my application to join the student register and have made payment, is my application ready to be processed?
A: An application is only considered complete when a payment has been made and all hard copies of the correct supporting documents are received by post to our offices.
Q: I have submitted my application to join the student register, have made payment, and I confirmed in the application I will make a self declaration, is my application ready to be processed?
A: An application is only considered complete when a payment has been made and all hard copies of the correct supporting documents are received by post to our offices. If you have also confirmed during the application that you will make a self declaration, an alert to complete a self declaration will appear on your homepage within the portal after payment has been made. Complete the declaration and submit.
If you do not submit a self declaration when you have confirmed you will do so during the application stage, your application will not be considered complete and will not be processed.
Q: What happens if I submit a self declaration?
A: When completing the application to join the student register you should read the guidance on submitting a self declaration. If on reading the guidance you confirm you will submit a self declaration, you should complete the self declaration form after making payment for your application to join the student register.
Self declarations are processed by the Concerns Department, and they will make contact with you regarding this. Guidance for registrants on self declarations can be found on www.psni.org.uk:
www.psni.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Fitness-to-Practise-Information-for-Registrants-1.pdf
If you do not submit a self declaration when you have confirmed you will do so during the application stage, your application will not be considered complete and will not be processed.
Q: I have completed all the steps in the application, submitting the application, payment and self declaration if applicable. I have also posted hard copies of all my solicitor certified supporting documents. I have not yet received confirmation that my application has been processed.
A: If you have completed all the steps in the application, your application will be processed by an admin member of staff. If they require further information, you will be contacted by email. We aim to process all completed applications within 21 days of receipt. Please allow for 21 days before contacting the Society unless you believe there is an error in your application.
Q: I have completed all the steps in the application, submitting the application, payment and self declaration if applicable. I received confirmation that my application has been processed and that NICPLD will contact me. NICPLD have not contacted me regarding my application.
A: NICPLD will contact eligible applicants with further information about Stage 2 of the application process (joining NICPLD’s Foundation Training Year programme) in early March. If you have received confirmation from the Pharmaceutical Society NI that your application to join the student has been conditionally approved (subject to passing your MPharm) and have not heard from NICPLD by March, then you should contact NICPLD (nicpld-fty@qub.ac.uk).
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