Disclosure & Barring Service:  MPharm Pharmacy & MPharm Pharmacy with Preparatory Year

An Enhanced DBS check is a compulsory requirement for any courses where trainees may be placed in a position of trust working with children and/or vulnerable adults. The  Pharmacy programmes at the University of Reading will involve working closely with both patients and members of the public. In order to be able to undertake placements or visits in hospitals, pharmacies, and General Practice, which are a crucial part of the MPharm Pharmacy course, you will need to apply for and obtain a satisfactory Enhanced DBS certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

 

How do I apply for an Enhanced DBS certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service?

 

STAGE 1 - Complete your online application

Complete an online application through the First Advantage Online Disclosures system by no later than the following dates:

• If you are joining the MPharm Pharmacy programme in September 2023 - no later than 30 September 2023.

• If you are joining the MPharm Pharmacy with Preparatory Year programme in September 2023 - no later than 29 December 2023. 

Please visit https://fadv.onlinedisclosures.co.uk/Registration/Registration and follow the instructions on pages 8-16 ofThe Applicant User Guide.

The PIN and secret word, which you will need to use when registering to access the First Advantage Online Disclosures application service, will be sent to you via email in August 2023 if you are joining the MPharm Pharmacy programme or later in the autumn term if you are joining the MPharm Pharmacy with Preparatory Year programme.

 

STAGE 2 - Document Verification

After you have submitted your online DBS application through the First Advantage Online Disclosures system, you will need to provide a minimum of three ORIGINAL forms of ID from the official list of valid identity documents.  

• If you are joining the MPharm Pharmacy programme in September 2023:  You will be contacted in October 2023 with available time slots and details of the place you will bring the three ORIGINAL documents for the ID verification stage
  
  
• If you are joining the MPharm Pharmacy with Preparatory Year programme in September 2023:  You will be contacted in January 2024 with available time slots and details of the place you will bring the three ORIGINAL documents for the ID verification stage

 

STAGE 3 - DBS Certificate Payment

Once the documentation verification process has happened, you will receive an email from First Advantage with instructions on how to pay for the DBS check (currently £45.20). The DBS application process will be complete once the payment has been made.

The Disclosure and Barring Service will send your Enhanced DBS certificate to you in the post once they have completed the check. Please note that the certificate will be sent to the address listed as your current address on your DBS application.

 

STAGE 4 - Register for the Update Service

Once your application is complete you will need to register for the update service to renew your DBS certificate on a yearly basis.  This will cost £13 a year.  More information will be made available during the documentation verification process and you can find further details on the DBS update service page

 

Do I need to send a copy of the DBS certificate to the university?

You will need to upload a copy of the certificate in the Pathways portal. Further instructions will be sent you at a later date.

How long will it take the Disclosure and Barring Service to complete the check?

The amount of time that a DBS check takes can vary depending on a variety of factors such as the time of year that an applicant applies, where the applicant lives or has lived, and how many different area police forces are involved in the check. You can monitor the progress of your application through the First Advantage Online Disclosures system. A number of agencies are involved in the checking process and the university cannot influence the amount of time taken to perform the check once it is in progress.

Do I need to obtain a letter of good conduct (overseas criminal records check)?

If you have lived outside the UK for 6 months or more in the past 5 years, you will need to obtain and provide a letter of good conduct from the country or countries that you have lived in during that period. The letter(s) of good conduct will need to be provided in addition to the Enhanced DBS check

If you have never lived in the UK prior to the start of the course, you will not need to apply for a DBS check at this stage but you will need to obtain and provide a letter of good conduct from your home country. The letter of good conduct will need to be provided before you can complete the final stage of the online enrolment process for the programme.

The application process for letters of good conduct (overseas criminal record checks) varies from country to country. You can find guidance on applying for overseas criminal record checks on the government's overseas criminal records check page.

You should request that the letter of good conduct is issued in English or obtain a certified translation of the certificate.

If you are still resident in the country that you need the letter of good conduct from, we advise you to apply for it before you leave as, in many cases, it is easier to obtain the letter of good conduct from within the country.

You should then send the letter to mpharm.placements@reading.ac.uk. 

Who should I contact if I have any queries?

If you have any questions relating to the Enhanced DBS check or the letter of good conduct, please contact mpharm.placements@reading.ac.uk.