NHS Education for Scotland Pre-registration Pharmacist Scheme (PRPS)

1. Travelling to the Selection Centre Venue: Hilton Edinburgh Airport Hotel Edinburgh International Airport Edinburgh EH28 8LL

The Hilton Edinburgh Airport hotel is conveniently located next to Edinburgh Airport, only a 5 minute walk or 2 minutes by complimentary shuttle and is only approximately 20 minutes from the Edinburgh City Centre, The Selection Centre will be held in the hotel, accommodation can be booked on-site if required. Please check the venue website for more details on how to get there, what the accommodation looks like and what facilities are available. The venue has a limited number of parking spaces available. Parking is on a strictly first come first serve basis. Websites: Hilton Reception: Date: www.hilton.co.uk/edinburghairport 0131 519 4400

31st August and 1st September 2011

Please ensure that you check for travel disruptions prior to coming to the venue in order to allow for any extra time you may require because of road-works / bad weather conditions. 2. Overview of the day You should arrive at the venue at the time stated in your invitation letter for registration. If you are early, please wait in the Candidate Lobby which will be sign posted and located in the foyer of the hotel. Please note that mobile phones must be switched off when entering the interview venue. This is a competitive process and candidates must not communicate with each other during the course of the interview process. Candidates not adhering to these instructions may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process. Each cohort of candidates will firstly undertake registration and document checking and will then be split into two groups of 18, one undertaking an MCQ and the other undertaking a structured interview, the groups will then swap. Please see below further details of each of the days components: 2.1 Registration and Document Checking Candidates will be asked to sign a candidate register and pick up a name badge displaying a unique candidate reference number allocated to them for the purposes of interview. There will then be a document checking session candidates must bring originals of all the documentation that was supplied at the application stage for verification. A candidate briefing will then follow which will entail a brief explanation of the days events and further arrangements. 2.2 The Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) test All applicants are required to undertake an invigilated MCQ test that will assess some of the competencies in the person specification and test the applicants numeracy skills. The MCQ test has sixteen questions of which ten are simple pharmaceutical calculations. The test will last for 25 minutes. Please note that candidates are not allowed to use calculators in the MCQ test or reference books. Reference books are not permitted in the interview either. Candidates are reminded to make sure that they write their name and reference number on their answer sheet.

NHS Education for Scotland Pre-registration Pharmacist Scheme (PRPS)

2.3 Interviews The interviews will last approximately 30 minutes and candidates will all be asked similar questions. The interview questions will be structured around personal experience and scenarios and will be scored against candidates ability to demonstrate attitudes and skills detailed in the Person Specification. The process is competitive so dont share information with those still to be interviewed it is important not to discuss the scenarios, etc as you will only disadvantage yourself. Each panel will comprise of representatives from the hospital and/or community sector. The panel will introduce themselves and say which sector they are from but they will not tell you the company/hospital they are from. Please note, that the interviews are part of a centralised process and are intended to prepare a pool of candidates for selection into the scheme. The interview panel members taking part in the exercise are NOT selecting candidates for their own organisation. There will be a QA process applied to the interviews, with each panel having a third member on some interviews. This third panel member will not ask questions and will be present in an observational capacity only. Listen carefully to the question being asked and ask for clarification if you are at all unsure. Try to stay calm. The questions are challenging and aim to find out how you will manage or react to certain situations, but the panel will be supportive and may provide prompts if necessary. 2.4 Candidate Debrief You be required to hand in your Preference form at this stage. Please be aware that the preferences stated play no part in the assessment of your application or interview and are not shared with employers. The Lead Pharmacist in Educational Development and the Pharmacy Educational Co-ordinators will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. You will also be given an evaluation form. Please complete this as fully as you can, as this will help us to inform future recruitment processes. You can complete the form anonymously if you wish. After the debrief, please dont wait around. There will be too many people coming and going. You can decant to the bar if you wish to wait for a colleague, although the drinks are not on the house! 3. Outcomes We will contact candidates regarding the outcome of the matching process. There are approx 170 places available and the outcome of the interviews will be determined over the course of a few days. The process of first round matching will attempt to marry up the preferences of eligible candidates with the preferences listed by the employers. Please note that the first round matching process involves matching the employers list of appointable candidates with the candidates stated preferences for employer. Offers will be made from 7 September onwards and candidates awaiting an offer are advised to check their emails daily from this date until the NES final deadline for acceptance of offers which is 30 September 2011. On receipt of an offer, successful candidates will have 48 hours to consider and then accept, hold or reject an offer (thus withdrawing from the recruitment process.) The hold option will be available to candidates who are not matched with their top choice of employer. Candidates may opt to hold an offer in case another post (higher preference) becomes available. Please note that candidates who have applied for training posts outwith the NES Scheme may also opt to hold an offer, however, they must notify NES as soon as possible should they accept a post elsewhere.

NHS Education for Scotland Pre-registration Pharmacist Scheme (PRPS)

The process of recycling of offers in waves will continue until 29 September 2011. No further recycling of offers will take place after this date. The NES final deadline for acceptance of offers is 30 September 2011. Following the deadline for acceptance of offers, if there are any remaining unfilled posts a Second Round Recruitment event may take place. For further information regarding the offers process and the 2 Round Recruitment Event please refer to the PRPS Information Booklet for Prospective Trainees available at www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/disciplines/pharmacy/pre-registration-pharmacist-scheme/recruitment
nd

4. Important Notes for Candidates: Candidates should ensure that they allow themselves plenty of time to travel to and from the venue, it is advisable to arrive 15 minutes prior to registration. Please factor in extra time for roadworks / bad weather conditions / other travel disruptions. The Selection Centre may not finish at the scheduled time and/or candidates may decide to stay back to have further conversations with the Pharmacy Educational Co-ordinators. If you are booked in for the 9.15am registration, if we are running to time, you should be free to leave at approximately 12:00pm. If you are booked in for the 10.45am registration, if we are running to time, you should be free to leave at approximately 1.30pm. If you are booked in for the 1.00pm registration, if we are running to time, you should be free to leave at approximately 3.45pm. If you are booked in for the 2.30pm registration, if we are running to time, you should be free to leave at approximately 5.15pm. *Please note these times are indicative only, as candidates may wish to use the contemplation room, or discuss any queries with the Pharmacy Education Co-ordinators or Admin Support staff, after they have completed their assessments. The responsibilities for all travel arrangements are with the Candidate and we advise that you please plan carefully, allowing yourself plenty of time. A contemplation room is available for your use this may be used for prayer time or if you require some time alone, before or after your assessment. Valuables brought to the venue are at your own risk, NES is not responsible for any loss/theft. If you encounter problems travelling to the venue on the day, or are unable to attend your interview, please call the venue reception desk on 0131 519 4400 and leave a message for the Pharmacy Recruitment Team. Please ensure that you leave your full name and contact details so a member of the Pharmacy Recruitment Team can get back in contact with you.

For all enquiries regarding the pharmacy.recruitment@nes.scot.nhs.uk

PRPS

Selection

Centre,

please

email

NHS Education for Scotland Pre-registration Pharmacist Scheme (PRPS)

Further information regarding the PRPS Recruitment Process can be found at the on the NES website at: www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/disciplines/pharmacy/pre-registration-pharmacist-scheme/recruitment