RPS and GPhC commit to tackle differential attainment for Black pharmacy students

A shared commitment to tackling differential attainment and degree awarding gaps across pharmacy education and training has been reinforced by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the General Pharmaceutical Society (GPhC).

The RPS said in a statement: ‘Our joint focus reflects a growing recognition that inequitable outcomes undermine both professional fairness and the quality of patient care.’

This follows the a joint webinar on ‘closing the gaps in differential attainment and degree awarding’, which took place during Inclusive Pharmacy Practice (IPP) Week in November 2025.

Related Article: Transdermal patches for dementia treatment discontinued

Speakers highlighted disparities in outcomes for Black pharmacy students and foundation trainees, and the detrimental impact of these gaps on confidence, career progression and representation across the profession.

The discussion emphasised that differential attainment – the often-unexplained gap in exam, recruitment, and training outcomes between different demographic groups – is not a reflection of individual capability but a symptom of systemic inequalities.

President of the RPS, Professor Claire Anderson, said: ‘Addressing differential attainment is critical to fairness, patient confidence and the long‑term strength of the pharmacy profession.

‘We must listen to lived experience, act on the evidence and work collectively to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.’

The session brought together pharmacy students, trainees, educators, employers and system leaders.

It stressed the importance of better use of data to understand where gaps occur, alongside action to improve inclusivity in assessment design, and representation in learning environments and workplace training.

Related Article: Warning issued over labelling error on osteoporosis medicine

Abundance Temile, vice president of the UK Black Pharmacist Association (UKBPA), said: 'Addressing this issue strengthens pharmacy as a whole. A profession that supports talent equitably is better equipped to reflect, understand, and meet the needs of the populations it serves.

'If pharmacy is serious about improving diversity and representation then tackling differential attainment and degree awarding gaps in pharmacy education and training is critical. These disparities shape professional confidence, career progression, and contribute directly to under-representation of Black pharmacist in senior, specialist, and leadership roles, both within and allied to the pharmacy profession.'

She said the profession needs to move beyond acknowledging the problem and towards accountability, transparency, and structural change. 'A shared commitment from organisations like the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the General Pharmaceutical Council is an important step, but commitment alone is not enough.

'What matters is how that commitment translates into sustained, measurable action, from reforming assessment and training structures, to improving access to support, mentoring, and fair opportunities that are accessible, and visible to Black pharmacists, because opportunities without visibility are redundant,' she added.

Related Article: Antidepressant impacted by packaging error

'If pathways to progression are not seen, accessible, and actively supported, then inequity is simply reproduced under a different name, and risks reinforcing the very inequities we are trying to address.'