Visit us at AMEE 2026, try the EPS Simulator

From the 22nd to 26th August we’ll be in Vienna for The AMEE Conference 2026. Run by AMEE, the International Association for Health Professions Education, it brings together educators, researchers and health professionals from all over the world to share ideas and explore where the sector is heading.

This year’s conference features the Integrated Ottawa Event alongside the main programme, with two themes running through the week: educators as catalysts for building the future of health, and authentic assessment to improve healthcare and learning outcomes. 

Marcus Hughes will be representing BPS Assessment throughout the conference, and you’ll find him at stand 79. Alongside catching up with familiar faces and meeting new ones, he’ll be running live demos of our EPS Simulator on the stand.

 

What is the EPS Simulator?

Electronic prescribing is now the norm, but it’s rarely something students get much of a chance to practise before they qualify. That gap can leave newly qualified doctors facing a real system for the first time at exactly the moment they can least afford to make a mistake.

Our EPS Simulator gives learners a realistic, low stakes environment to get familiar with how an electronic prescribing system actually works, from navigating the interface to spotting the kind of errors that matter in practice. The more familiar it feels before qualification, the more confident and safer that first real prescription will be.

Take a video tour of the EPS simulator here:

 

Come and find us at our stand

If you’re at AMEE this year, come and find us at stand 79. As well as live demos of the EPS simulator running throughout the event, Marcus will be on hand to talk you through and answer any questions about how our products can fit into your own curriculum.

There will be a QR code on the stand giving you instant access to a demo account across our full range:

📝 Prescribing Skills Assessment, our tool for testing practical prescribing competence
 💻 EPS Simulator, hands on practice with electronic prescribing
 📚 eLearning, our library of self directed learning resources
 ⚙️ Platform Licensing, to build assessments tailored to your own institution.

Whether you’re exploring how these tools could support your curriculum, or simply curious to see them in action, we look forward to seeing you at AMEE.

Feel free to get in touch with us if you’d like to book a one to one meeting with Marcus whilst you are there: https://www.bpsassessment.com/contact/ 

Reflecting on WCP2026: our week in Melbourne

Earlier this month the BPS Assessment team touched down in Melbourne for the 20th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. A huge thank you to ASCEPT and IUPHAR, for putting together such a brilliant congress and bringing the global pharmacology community together under one roof.

 

BPS CEO and BPSA Managing Director, Neha Issar-Brown, summed up the week for us in a LinkedIn post saying saying: 

“BPS Assessment (BPSA) had an excellent time at #WCP2026, with several insightful meetings, networking and discussions engaging with long-standing, new and potential partners.

We topped it off by hosting a knowledge exchange session towards the end where UK, Australia, New Zealand and Japanese colleagues shared their reasons and experiences of using and adapting the BPSA platform for their respective national prescribing safety assessments.

BPS Assessment Team also updated audience on the new e-simulator function and many of the fantastic and free educational modules available on the BPSA website”

 

Meeting the wider prescribing community

One of the highlights of the week was meeting with prescribers and educators from across Australia and New Zealand at our ANZ User Group Meeting, catching up with existing partners and hearing first hand how the platform is being used to support prescribing training across the region.

We also spent time talking to the technical and program lead for Australia’s National Prescribing Curriculum (NPC) Dr. Ivan Bindoff and Ass. Prof. Bridin Murnion, discussing how prescribing education is evolving and where our work overlaps.  

 

Highlights from the talks

Professor Simon Maxwell delivered the BPS Lecture as one of the keynote presentations. His session showcased just how much of an impact the Prescribing Safety Assessment has had on strengthening safe and effective prescribing across the UK, with some really compelling examples of how assessment translates into better patient care and stronger clinical competence in practice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alongside that, Peter Wright led a well received session at the Innovation Theatre, bringing together international colleagues including Simon Maxwell, Professor Shinichiro Ueda, Professor Sarah Hilmer, Professor Kellie Charles and Dr Paul Chin to talk through how the Prescribing Safety Assessment has been implemented across medical schools and postgraduate programmes in the UK and beyond. It was a great chance to dig into the practical side of large scale prescribing competency assessment and what’s working well in different corners of the world.

 

Thank you

Thanks to everyone who took the time to meet with us, take part in our sessions or stop by for a chat. 

Thank you also to Simon Maxwell, Lynne Bollington, Sarah Hilmer, Kellie Charles,  Shinichiro Ueda and Natalie Blanchard for supporting and collaborating with BPS Assessment and to Neha Issar-Brown, Peter Wright and Marcus Hughes for representing us throughout the conference.

We’re already looking forward to the next one!

BPS Assessment are heading to Melbourne for WCP2026

Next month, The British Pharmacological Society (BPS) and BPS Assessment will be attending the 20th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (WCP2026) in Melbourne, Australia. The congress takes place from 12-17 July at the Melbourne Convention Centre.

 

About WCP2026

 

Hosted by the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) in partnership with the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR), the congress brings together the global pharmacology and therapeutics community. The event welcomes students, early career researchers, clinical pharmacology leaders and those working in drug discovery and development.

The scientific programme features plenary and keynote speakers, symposia, workshops and debates covering advances in pharmacology and therapeutics. 

The congress includes a social programme alongside the scientific sessions. There’s a welcome reception on Monday 13 July, a student and early career researcher function on Tuesday 14 July at The Boatbuilders Yard on the Yarra River, and a congress dinner on Thursday 16 July at the Plaza Ballroom with a Great Gatsby theme.

Registration for WCP2026 is open with standard registration closing on 1 July 2026. For more information, visit the WCP2026 website.

 

Our talks

The making of a safe and effective prescriber: Rethinking prescribing education for a changing world

On Wednesday 15 July at 4.45pm, Professor Simon Maxwell will deliver the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) Lecture as one of the keynote presentations.

Simon is Professor of Student Learning/Clinical Pharmacology and Prescribing at the University of Edinburgh, where he has led the development of e-learning strategies to support education in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics. He is also Director of the University’s Masters in Internal Medicine programme, with NHS clinical responsibilities including supervision of acute medical admissions and management of outpatients at increased cardiovascular risk.

He is Medical Director of the Prescribing Safety Assessment, a joint initiative by the BPS and Medical Schools Council delivering a national assessment of prescribing for all UK medical students. This process has now been adopted in several other countries. Simon is also co-lead for the Pharmacology Education Project (PEP), an IUPHAR initiative providing freely accessible learning materials for students of the pharmacological sciences in resource-poor countries.

Simon was recently appointed as the new President-Elect of the British Pharmacological Society. He will serve a two-year term as President-Elect from 1 January 2026.

 

BPS Assessment Innovation Session

On Thursday 16 July from 2:30–4:30pm, Peter Wright, Head of Commercial Operations at BPS Assessment, will lead an Innovation Theatre session in Exhibition Bay 14–16.

The session is an open forum for all congress registrants and will explore the design and implementation of large-scale prescribing competency assessments for students and early practitioners. Peter will be joined by Professor Simon Maxwell and international colleagues from Japan and Australia, Professor Shinichiro Ueda from the University of the Ryukyus and Professor Sarah Hilmer from Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney.

Together, they will showcase how the Prescribing Safety Assessment has been implemented across medical schools and postgraduate early years programmes in the UK and beyond. The session will also highlight new features of the assessment platform and how these could be applied in different prescribing education contexts around the world.

 

Meet BPS Assessment at WCP2026

As well as our talks, the BPS Assessment team will be at the main BPS stand throughout the congress, where you can find out more about our assessment and learning services and how we’re working to improve prescribing standards globally. 

Along with BPS we will also be hosting a number of additional events during the week, including a social for BPS members, an international PSA meeting, and an Australia and New Zealand PSA user group session to offer the opportunity to connect with the team and colleagues from around the world. 

Feel free to get in touch with us if you’d like to book a one to one meeting with our team whilst we are there https://www.bpsassessment.com/contact/ 

We hope to see you in Melbourne!

Getting ready for ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting (ASM) 2026

ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2026 (ASM) will be taking place from 30 June to 2 July at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, and it looks set to be an exciting gathering for anyone working in prescribing education.

This year’s theme is ‘Beyond Boundaries: Innovation, Inclusion and Impact in Health Professions Education’ which ASME states offers a chance to share bold thinking and transformative action to ultimately improve outcomes for patients, communities and systems. 

The programme includes several keynote lectures and delegates can also look forward to a wide range of symposia, interactive workshops, doctoral research presentations and oral and e-poster sessions. It looks set to be a great few days for networking and learning with educators, healthcare professionals and researchers from across the field.

 

What we’ll be talking about

Supporting safe and effective prescribing through trusted assessment

BPS Assessment (BPSA) is the assessment and education arm of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS). Our focus is simple: helping healthcare students and professionals prescribe medicines safely and confidently.

At ASM 2026, BPSA is showcasing how robust assessment supports better prescribing, in the UK and internationally. You’ll be able to find our team at the BPS stand.

 

What we do

Prescribing Safety Assessment delivery

BPSA delivers the Prescribing Safety Assessment used by medical schools across the UK and Ireland, alongside international versions tailored to local prescribing practice, including in Australia and New Zealand. All assessments are built on a consistent blueprint and delivered with a strong focus on quality, reliability, and integrity.

International collaboration

We work closely with educators, clinicians, and institutions worldwide to adapt assessments for different healthcare systems while maintaining clear standards. ASM provides an opportunity to connect with partners interested in strengthening prescribing education and assessment.

Why meet us at ASM
  • Learn how assessment can support safer prescribing outcomes
  • Talk to us about international delivery and collaboration
  • Explore how BPSA works with medical schools and healthcare organisations

BPS Assessment is committed to supporting better prescribing through high‑quality assessments that help to protect patients and support clinicians worldwide.

 

Come and find us

You can find us at the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) stand throughout the conference. Want to make sure you get dedicated time with us? Book a meeting in advance so we can sit down properly and answer your questions on the day.

https://www.bpsassessment.com/contact/ 

We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham.

Come and see us at Pharmacology 2025!

We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be holding a symposium at Pharmacology 2025! 

 

The symposium, “Delivering novel prescribing education solutions via the BPS Assessment platform” will bring together leading voices in prescribing education.

 

 If you’re coming to Pharmacology 2025 then make sure you catch us on Thursday 18th December 2025 9:00am-10:45am in the main auditorium. If you haven’t already secured your ticket, registration is available here

 

What we will be talking about

The BPS Assessment platform is a bespoke and robust learning environment capable of hosting the development and delivery of eLearning materials and assessments in the fields of prescribing and pharmacology. 

 

Prescribing and supervising the use of medicines is critical to delivering high quality healthcare, in both hospitals and primary care. Given these complexities, it is perhaps not surprising that poor prescribing is common, with around 5 to 10% of UK prescriptions containing an error. In these circumstances it is important that undergraduate and continuing education provides the training to ensure that all prescribers meet minimum standards of prescribing competency. 

 

With that challenge in mind, the BPS built a bespoke platform to support the hosting of the Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) on behalf of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) and UK Medical Schools. 

 

In recent years, it has been developed to provide additional tools for users to support newer approaches to education. This symposium will describe some of those new developments and how the platform is being used to service the needs of prescribing training for postgraduate doctors, undergraduate medical students and pharmacists.

 

We hope that the presentations will inspire other BPS members and attendees to see how the platform could be deployed in their own teaching and assessment.

 

Our speakers

Chair: Professor Simon Maxwell

 

Talk 1: The BPSA platform: new innovations on an established platform – Mr Peter Wright, BPS Assessment

 

Talk 2: Supporting prescribing training for NHS foundation doctors in Ayrshire and Arran Health Board – Sarah McDonald, NHS Ayrshire and Arran; Frances Bendall, NHS Ayrshire and Arran

 

Talk 3: Supporting prescribing training for undergraduate medical students at the University of Manchester – Dr Kurt Wilson and Dr Hiten Mitha, University of Manchester

 

Talk 4: Prescribing skills and the PSA: MPharm students’ perspectives – Clare Murray, Queen’s University, Belfast.

 

Meet with our team

Want to request some dedicated time with our team while you’re at Pharmacology 2025? Book a meeting with us here to ensure you get a one to one session so we can answer your questions and discuss anything you’d like to know on the day.

 

#MedSafetyWeek 2025

Med Safety Week runs from 3rd to 9th November 2025, marking its tenth anniversary as a global campaign to raise awareness about reporting suspected adverse drug reactions. This year’s theme “we all have the power to make medicines safer” is particularly relevant for medical students, trainees, educators and practising prescribers.

 

Here’s a statistic that might come as a surprise, less than 10% of adverse drug reactions are ever reported. That’s a significant gap when you consider that pharmacovigilance systems rely heavily on these reports to identify safety signals, update prescribing guidance and protect patients.

 

Every unreported adverse drug reaction (ADR) represents a missed opportunity to build a fuller picture of how medicines perform in real-world settings, across diverse patient populations and over extended periods.

 

Using Med Safety Week as a teaching opportunity

Med Safety Week provides a timely reminder to embed pharmacovigilance into your curriculum in a way that feels relevant.

 

When presenting clinical scenarios, you could include opportunities for students to identify potential adverse reactions and discuss whether they’d warrant a report. The MHRA publishes case studies showing how Yellow Card reports have led to regulatory action which can be used as teaching materials to demonstrate the impact of pharmacovigilance in the real world.

 

Ask students to consider questions such as: Have they witnessed a suspected ADR during clinical placements? Was it reported? If not, why not? What were the barriers? This kind of reflective discussion helps identify the practical challenges that lead to underreporting.

 

For students preparing for their prescribing exams The Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) includes questions on adverse drug reactions and understanding when and how to report suspected side effects is a core competency expected of newly qualified prescribers.

 

Resources for Med Safety Week

The MHRA and Uppsala Monitoring Centre provide free campaign materials that can be used in lectures, shared on social media or displayed in teaching spaces who-umc.org/medsafetyweek

 

BPSA’s own MHRA Yellow Card scheme assessment is a free to use resource that has been developed in partnership with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the British Pharmacological Society (BPS). It provides structured learning across two modules, covering the role of the MHRA and scenario-based case studies on reporting adverse incidents. It’s available through our portal and takes approximately one hour to complete portal.bpsassessment.com/product/yellow-card-scheme

 

Useful links

Shaping the Future of Prescribing Education: Insights from the Tenth International Clinical Skills Conference

In May, the team travelled to the scenic city of Prato, Tuscany, for the Tenth International Clinical Skills Conference, a renowned global event focused on advancing healthcare education. It was a privilege to join forces with our partners at the University of Manchester to showcase the latest developments in prescribing education and to engage with educators from around the world.

 

Introducing the ePrescribing Simulator

At the heart of our presentations was the launch of the new ePrescribing Simulator. This innovative tool has been designed to replicate the functionality of a hospital or primary care electronic prescribing system, allowing educators to present authentic, complex prescribing scenarios in a safe and accessible online environment.

 

The ePrescribing Simulator makes it possible to:

 

  • Deliver realistic case-based learning at scale,
  • Mirror the pressures and decision-making processes of clinical practice while maintaining a formative learning environment
  • Provide immediate feedback on student performance
  • Support curricula focused on medication safety and prescribing competence.

 

Importantly, it’s built to be flexible and user-friendly, meaning institutions can integrate it seamlessly into existing courses, whether for undergraduate medical students, pharmacy trainees, or postgraduate learners.

 

A Shared Commitment to Innovation

The response at the conference was overwhelmingly positive. Educators and clinical leads expressed a growing need for tools that can better prepare students for the digital systems they will encounter in practice. Our partnership with the University of Manchester has helped shape this simulator to meet that need, informed by clinical reality.

 

This shared development reflects a broader commitment for BPS Assessment to support institutions in delivering high-quality, practical prescribing education that meets today’s healthcare demands.

 

Looking Ahead

We’re excited to work with more universities and teaching hospitals in the months ahead. The simulator is delivered through the BPS Assessment platform, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with your existing account and workflows. 

 

Whether you’re aiming to enhance your current prescribing curriculum or introduce new tools to build digital prescribing skills and promote safe practice, we’d love to start a conversation.

 

To find out more about the ePrescribing Simulator or to arrange a demo for your institution, please get in touch. 

Putting prescribing centre stage: BPS Assessment at the World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology

The British Pharmacological Society (BPS) recently hosted the 19th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (WCP), the largest event in the pharmacology community. Held every four years, the conference brings together delegates from around the world to share research and engage in sessions about the latest advancements in the field of pharmacology.

 

Our team joined the hosts at the BPS stand to welcome delegates and showcase the capabilities of our online platform used by customers to enhance prescribing skills and knowledge through eLearning and assessment resources. 

 

Supporting prescribing in the Middle East 

We had the opportunity to contribute to the scientific programme, by hosting a special symposium for Middle East and GCC delegates, which focused on prescribing training and the challenges to prescribing practices within the region. The speakers included; 

 

  • His Excellency Professor Aws Alshamsan, Secretary General, Saudi Commission For Health Specialties, Saudi Arabia
  • Professor Sherief Khalifa, Vice Chancellor for Quality & Institutional Effectiveness, Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, UAE
  • Professor Moustafa Fahmy, Dean of the Oman College of Health Sciences, Oman
  • Professor Dileep Rohra, Head of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Saudi Arabia.
  • Professor Amal Fatani, Cultural Attaché, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the United Kingdom
  • Professor Ismael Ibrahim Matalka, President, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, UAE
  • Professor Simon Maxwell, Director of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Teaching, University of Edinburgh, and PSA Medical Director

 

Further discussions focused on the need for better prescribing education for students and trainees through assessment and learning resources and how these improvements could be scaled across institutions in the Middle East.

 

Advancing prescribing in Australasia 

The team also met with customers from Australia and New Zealand to discuss the progress of the Prescribing Skills Assessment. The meeting provided an opportunity for delegates to come together and discuss strengthening the collaboration between Australasian medical schools and BPS Assessment. Discussions covered setting up local governance structures to support future summative exam delivery and focussed on creating an international partnership that will support the expansion of the Prescribing Skills Assessment in Australasia.

 

Meeting with existing and future customers 

Across the week, a number of our customers showcased their research findings through scientific posters. Partners from Koc University in Turkey and International Medical University in Malaysia were among the exhibitors, discussing their experiences with the Prescribing Skills Assessment and the positive impact it has had on prescribing knowledge and practices within their institutions.

 

The event was an excellent opportunity to connect with current and future customers while emphasising the significance of enhancing prescribing knowledge and skills in healthcare, particularly for emerging practitioners. 

 

We are thrilled that delegates who were able to attend enjoyed their time at the SEC, and we’re already anticipating the next meeting in 2026, which will be hosted by our colleagues at ASCEPT.

Gearing up for the 19th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology

This year the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) welcomes the world’s pharmacology and therapeutics community to the 19th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (WCP). The event, which was planned to take place in 2022, but postponed due to COVID-19 considerations, will take place in Glasgow from 2-7 July. A cornerstone of the pharmacology events calendar, WCP will bring together experts from across nations in the interest of sharing their latest work and research in pharmacology. 

 

BPS Assessment will join the BPS at the main stand to take centre stage at the Scottish Events Campus. Read on to learn more about WCP23 and what BPS Assessment will be showcasing at the event.

 

What is the World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology? 

Following the 18th World Congress in Kyoto, WCP23 will take place in Glasgow in the heart of the science centre. The world renowned event celebrates advances in pharmacology and therapeutics and takes place over 6 days. The programme will feature 10 content themes and include 63 symposia, 23 keynote lectures, 18 workshops and 3 debates. Over 400 speakers and chairs have been carefully selected by the Scientific Organising Committee, bringing together top leaders and experts from  35 countries.  

 

How can you make the most of your time there? 

In addition to a packed scientific programme, the event also boasts a social programme showcasing the culture and hospitality of Scotland and with further opportunities to network and socialise with other world leading pharmacology experts. 

There is also a chance to experience the local surroundings. Glasgow has a whole host of attractions and sightseeing destinations for those who want to enjoy their free time away from the conference venue. Here are a few attractions to check out: 

 

 

Meet BPS Assessment while at WCP23

For those attending, BPS Assessment can be found at the main BPS stand, where the team will be ready to showcase the products and services on offer from the assessment and learning branch of the Society. Visit the stand and meet the team to learn more about the ways in which they are helping to improve prescribing. 

 

BPS Assessment will be hosting two satellite events. The first is for delegates from the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council countries.  At the event, senior figures in healthcare will review the current status of prescribing education and training in the region and will also present and discuss opportunities to improve prescribing skills. The opening address will be given by Dr Aws, Al-Shamsan, Secretary General of the Saudi Commission For Health Specialties.  

 

BPS Assessment will also be hosting colleagues from Australia and New Zealand to discuss progress on the development of a fully summative Australasian prescribing exam.

 

The Prescribing Skills Assessment 

Learn more about the Prescribing Skills Assessment, the flagship product which is being used by medical schools and organisations across the globe to improve prescribing competency among clinical trainees. The assessment, which is derived from the UK Prescribing Safety Assessment, features 8 questions styles that test a range of prescribing competencies, building understanding and knowledge of key concepts such as prescription writing and review, calculations and data interpretation.

eLearning courses 

There are also a whole host of eLearning resources available from BPS Assessment. Discover the courses on offer including Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and Prescribing Skills, each consisting of over 20 individual online learning sessions with built-in knowledge check questions.

Platform licensing 

If you want the flexibility of writing your own questions for your students, you might consider a platform license with BPS Assessment. The online learning platform has a built-in authoring tool so that you can write, review and publish your own questions. Take advantage of the system’s drug bank where you can develop questions using hundreds of drug formulations. Organisations are using this built-in feature to build resources to support their curricula and develop training that fits with their own requirements.

Registration of WCP23 is open so visit the WCP website to get your tickets today. Why not get in touch and book an appointment to meet with the BPS Assessment team ahead of the congress to learn how these products and services could help your organisation improve prescribing. Contact us today!