This publication has been made to offer you some top tips if you are either a pharmacy student or a trainee pharmacist.  It is important that you know where you can find support if you have a visible or invisible disability.

Tips for pharmacy students

Make sure you know what resources and support are available at your university

 Starting at university can be a daunting experience.  Your university might do things very differently to your previous school. That is why it is important you familiarise yourself with the support options that are available to you.  Every university course will have an introductory session detailing what support is available. It is typically in this material that you can find how to get the support you need if you have a disability. Your university will also have a Disability Support Page with all of the relevant information available; to find your university’s disability support page please click here.

Have a Support Plan in place

 If you have been diagnosed with a disability and you need support for your studies, you need to prepare a support plan.  Having a plan in place will help you throughout your studies, as you will get the proper support that you require, based on your specific needs.

Examples include:

• If you have a physical disability where you might struggle answering exams by hand, you can use a computer instead.

• If you have a mental health condition you might need extra time in your exams, or require breaks.

Have a support network.

 Having somebody as the first point of contact from the university is very important, as they will be aware of your situation and can help you with any queries you have or sign post you to the best person or team at the university. This would typically be your academic tutor or the academic lead for your year. You may also be assigned a peer mentor, usually another pharmacy student at a more advanced level, who will give you advice based on their experience during first year. You may also consider well-being and support advisers at your university for additional support. 

Your family members will be your primary support network. However, it is also helpful to have a group of friends at university who can help you throughout your studies. They could be studying Pharmacy or another programme, but regardless they can be a good group of people to talk to and can provide support where and when needed. 

 If you are feeling alone, please know that there will always be support for you and somebody to listen to your problems.  If you are struggling, please use any of the following  resources:

Financial Support: Apply for a Disabled Students Allowance

 If you’re at university and your disability affects your ability to study, you can apply for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). This financial support goes towards help such as sign language interpreters, specialist mentors, specialist equipment or assistive technology, and disability-related costs travelling to and from university. You may also be eligible to receive support for other items such as laptops, if the need arises.  DSA is provided in addition to other student finance, so you won’t have to pay it back and it won’t affect your other benefits. 

Am I Eligible for a DSA? 

 You can apply for a DSA if you live in England and have a disability that affects your ability to study,

such as: 

• specific learning difficulty, for example dyslexia or ADHD

• mental health condition, for example anxiety or depression

• physical disability, for example if you have to use crutches, a wheelchair or a special keyboard

• sensory disability, for example if you’re visually impaired, deaf or have a hearing impairment

• long-term health conditions, for example cancer, chronic heart disease or HIV.

You must also:

• be an undergraduate or postgraduate student (including Open University or distance learning)

• qualify for student finance from Student Finance England

• be studying on a course that lasts at least a year

Examples of eligible courses

Your course must be in the UK and one of the following:

• a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

• a Foundation Degree

• a Certificate of Higher Education

• a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

• a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

• a Higher National Diploma (HND)

• a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)

• a postgraduate course

• Initial Teacher Training

• a level 4 or 5 course with Higher Technical Qualification approval

Check with your university or college if you’re not sure whether your course qualifies for funding.

You can find out more about claiming DSA on the government website below. 

Tips for Trainee Pharmacists

Have an open relationship with your Designated Supervisor

 Your Designated Supervisor has the overall responsibility for you throughout your training year. This includes your emotional and mental well-being in the workplace, therefore you must inform them if you have a disability that affects your performance as a trainee. This will enable them to provide you with reasonable adjustments so that you can have a working environment that is safe and conducive for you.

Examples of reasonable adjustments include: 

• Making adjustments to premises

• Altering working hours/shift patterns

• Acquiring or modifying equipment

• Modifying instructions or reference manuals
  

Have a Support Network at Work

 Have a good relationship with not just your mentor, but your colleagues as well, so that they know the right kind of support to offer you based on your specific needs. This could include making your training site more accessible for you to work in, or if you require longer breaks than usual. If you have another foundation trainee working at the same site with you, consider asking them for support to help one another get through your training year, not just at work, but also revising together for the GPhC registration assessment . Also remember that you can reach out to your university for any extra support that you may require. 

Additional Support

Reach out to charities 

• Pharmacist Support is the official charity for pharmacists in the UK. They  provide financial assistance via their Financial Assistance Service, as well as mental health and well being services such as counselling and emotional support for students, trainees and qualified pharmacists

• Visit our Disability Resource page to see what charities are available for you
  

Consider joining a trade union

• A trade union is an organisation that protects the interests and advances of its members in the workplace

• Trade unions can offer you employment advice as well as help you apply for reasonable adjustments in the workplace 

• The Pharmacist Defence Association (PDA) offers free membership to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists and newly qualified pharmacists for up to three months 

Reasonable Adjustments for the GPhC Registration Assessment

The GPhC council allows candidates to request for reasonable adjustments prior to the assessment to ensure they are not disadvantaged in any way that could affect their performance. 

   To apply for a reasonable adjustment, you will need to:

• complete an application form to explain your condition and the specific adjustment (s) you require

• provide information from a healthcare professional or education provider to confirm your diagnosis and that the adjustment requested is appropriate to mitigate your condition

• submit your form and supporting information by the relevant deadline

   Examples of reasonable adjustments include : 

• 5% extra time 

• use of special equipment or furniture 

• permission to use specific items during the assessment, for example medical equipment, screen overlays and computer equipment  

• specific seating arrangements within a test centre, for example sitting in a sole occupancy room, in a smaller room or seated in a particular area of a room (e.g., close to toilet/exit)

• seated in a test centre with lift access

• permission to leave your seat during the assessment, for example to move or stretch 

• specific coloured paper for notes and workings

• modifications to screen display outside of those available to all candidates as outlined in the Registration assessment specification for sittings in 2023, for example, coloured text or background not specified in the registration assessment specifications. 

You can find more about how to apply for reasonable adjustments on the General Pharmaceutical Council’s website below : 

Ana Cristina Guirola Carias De Newell

Nothern Area Coordinator- mandate 2022/23

-

Reshme Subramaniam

Publications Officer - mandate 2022/23