
2025 No. 117
Pharmacy
The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Made 25th June 2025
Coming into operation 1st August 2025

The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, with the approval of the Department of Health in accordance with Article 25A(2) of the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 5(1) of the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976.

In accordance with Article 5(3) of that Order, the Department of Health has before approving these Regulations consulted the Department for the Economy.
Citation, commencement and interpretation
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 and shall come into operation on 1st August 2025.
2 
In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994.
Amendment of the principal Regulations
3 
In regulation 1 of the principal Regulations, in paragraph (2)—
(a) in the definition of “approved degree”, after “Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain” insert “or the General Pharmaceutical Council”;
(b) before the definition of “the Order” insert—“
 “approved provider” means a provider of pre-registration training approved by the Council;
 “the Council” shall have the same meaning as in Article 2(2) of the Order, meaning the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland;
 “the General Pharmaceutical Council” means the body corporate established under Article 4 of the Pharmacy Order 2010;”;
(c) before the definition of “the Secretary” insert—“
 “registration examination” means any examination or assessment undertaken as part of, or following, the pre-registration training;”.
4 
In regulation 8 of the principal Regulations, in paragraph (1)(b), after “Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain” insert “or the General Pharmaceutical Council”.
5 
In regulation 9 of the principal Regulations—
(a) for paragraph (2) substitute—“
(2) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1) which a person is required to satisfy are that—
(a) he has satisfactorily completed a course of pre-registration training in accordance with the conditions set out in Schedule 1; and
(b) he has passed a registration examination approved by the Council in accordance with the conditions set out in Schedule 2.”;
(b) omit paragraph (3);
(c) in paragraph (4) -
(i) omit sub-paragraph (a);
(ii) in sub-paragraph (c) after “the Society” insert “or the General Pharmaceutical Council”.
6 
Regulation 10 of the principal Regulations is omitted.
7 
For Regulation 11 of the principal Regulations, substitute—“
11. 
A pharmacist registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council may be registered as a pharmaceutical chemist under the provisions of Article 8(4) of the Order.”.
8 
For Schedule 1 (Form of Declaration) to the principal Regulations, substitute the Schedule 1 (Conditions for pre-registration training) set out in Schedule 1 (Schedule to be inserted as Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations) to these Regulations.
9 
For Schedule 2 (Conditions applicable to Registration Examination) to the principal Regulations, substitute the Schedule 2 (Conditions for registration examination) set out in Schedule 2 (Schedule to be inserted as Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations) to these Regulations.
Sealed with the Common Seal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland on 25th June 2025.
Geraldine O’Hare
President of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland

Canice Ward
Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
The Department of Health approves the Regulations.Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health on 25th June 2025.
Cathy Harrison
A senior officer of the Department of Health

SCHEDULE 1
Schedule to be inserted as Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations
Regulation 8
“
SCHEDULE 1
Conditions for pre-registration training
Regulation 9(2)(a)
1. 
The course of pre-registration training required to be satisfactorily completed under regulation 9(2)(a) must—
(a) be completed subsequent to having obtained an approved degree;
(b) be completed in Northern Ireland with an approved provider;
(c) be completed under the direct supervision of a registered person who has been designated by an approved provider;
(d) involve the application in practice of subjects studied in the approved degree;
(e) include 52 weeks of practical training;
(f) be undertaken in one or more of the following pharmaceutical practice settings—
(i) Community;
(ii) Hospital;
(iii) General practice;
(g) where the pre-registration trainee commenced their approved degree beginning with 1st September 2021 or after, include at least 90 hours of supervised practice forming part of the training programme accredited by the Society for the annotation “IP” (Independent Prescriber) under regulation 9(4)(c).
2. 
The approved provider, on behalf of and with the informed consent of the pre-registration trainee, shall notify the Council upon commencement of, and on the satisfactory completion of, the course of pre-registration training, including details of any registered person supervising the training and the date of commencement and completion of the training.”
SCHEDULE 2
Schedule to be inserted as Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations
Regulation 9
“
SCHEDULE 2
Conditions for registration examination
Regulation 9(2)(b)
1. 
The syllabus and procedures for the registration examination shall be as approved and published by the Council from time to time.
2. 
The subjects for the registration examination shall include the Practice of Pharmacy including the implementation in practice of laws governing pharmacy and the application in practice of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Practice of the Society.
3. 
The registration examination may be undertaken by a pre-registration trainee—
(a) after completion of not less than 39 weeks of pre-registration training; and
(b) provided he has paid an examination fee of £174 to the registrar for each registration examination sat.
4. 
A pre-registration trainee shall sit the registration examination within 3 years of satisfactory completion of the course of pre-registration training.
5. 
The registrar may extend the period specified in paragraph 4 on a case-by-case basis in the event of extenuating circumstances, upon submission of supporting evidence.
6. 
A pre-registration trainee who fails the registration examination is permitted to retake the examination one or more times within the period specified in paragraph 4 or extended under paragraph 5.”