FAQ's From The
Delegate's Perspective
Do I need the backing of my company to start the
QP course?
David Begg Associates strongly encourage prospective QP
delegates to gain the full support of their company; not just for financial
reasons but also from an emotional perspective, for sponsorship, time off work
and assisting with gaining valid practical experience.
Do I need to be a member of my professional body?
It is not compulsory to be a member of your relevant
professional body but we strongly advise it as they will provide you with
assistance in completing the application for your viva and give you support
throughout your career.
Contact details of the three UK professional
bodies are as follows:-
The Institute of Biology
9 Red Lion Court
London EC4A 3EF
Tel:
020 7936 5900
Fax: 020 7936 5901
E-mail:
r.rackham@iob.org
Contact: Rachael Rackham
The Royal Society of Chemistry
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London W1V 0BN
Tel: 020 744 03383
Fax: 020 728 79825
E-mail:
mclauchlinj@rsc.org
Contact: Jane McLauchlin
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
1 Lambeth High Street
London SE1 7JN
Tel: 020 7572 2406
Fax: 020 7582 3401
E-mail:
sadia.khan@rpsgb.org
Contact: Sadia
Khan
How much and what practical,
industry experience do I need to become a QP?
Experience in general manufacture and quality control must be
undertaken in fully licensed premises of a manufacturer of medicinal products.
Fully licensed means in possession of a manufacturers licence (ML). A
"Specials" licence does NOT fulfil this requirement. Normally the practical
experience extends over two years for a Biologist or Chemist, or one year for a
Pharmacist. There are exceptions to these requirements for degrees lasting five
or six years.
Obviously the more practical experience gained working in the Pharmaceutical
Industry the better for you!
Do I need to gain the necessary 2 years (1 year
for Pharmacists) practical experience before I enrol?
The practical experience needs to be gained before a candidate
goes forward for final assessment to become a QP so delegates can enrol without
having gained this experience and can train with David Begg Associates while
gaining the practical experience on their site at the same time.
How often will I be away from home and work while
I train?
Each module lasts for a maximum of five days running from
Sunday evening until Friday afternoon. The reason for the Sunday evening start
is to allow delegates to sit exams for the previous module if they attended it.
What professional and career benefits will I gain
by becoming a QP?
The QP is a recognised Quality Professional with a broad
knowledge base and with experience in applying the knowledge to pharmaceutical
QA situations. With his knowledge of EU law the QP is an information resource
to colleagues and his company, often becoming an expert contact with the
regulatory bodies.
There is an increasing requirement for QP training for jobs in Quality and
Production management and in the inspectorate.
How much additional study is there?
The advantage to doing QP training through a residential
course like David Begg Associates means that all the study necessary is
undertaken during the module and there is very little pre or post module
learning required.
However, if a delegate intends to sit the modular examinations which are
carried out at the beginning of the following module, there will be some
reading of the course notes required as revision.
I'm not sure I have a "relevant" degree, how can
I find out where I stand?
In the vast majority of cases a delegate will be qualified (by
degree, or equivalent) in Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology or Pharmacy.
However, it should be noted that under the permanent provisions, degrees (or
equivalent) in medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmaceutical chemistry and
technology are also eligible.
If you are not sure about your degree you can contact David Begg Associates in
the first instance and we will be able to advise you.
Which modules do I need to attend to become a QP?
You can attend any module out of the 12 that you feel you need
to. There is no set number. The only exception is if you are planning on doing
the Diploma. In this instance you will need to take 11 modules and will be
allowed one exemption.
Many delegates are unsure of the particular modules that they need to attend
and often look to David Begg Associates for advice on how our training will fit
in with the qualifications they already have and the experience that they have
gained. We provide a "gap analysis" which can either be done by correspondence
or via a visit to our offices or your site.
Contact us for further information.
What are the advantages for me if I do this
residential course instead of distance learning?
David Begg Associates firmly believe that there is no
substitute for face-to-face learning in a classroom environment - our success
rate proves this! Residential training enables you to exchange views and
experiences and to learn from your fellow students as well as from the tutors
away from the distractions of home and work.
Guided learning enables the candidates to focus on the critical subject
information and learn to apply the knowledge to true to life situations.
What are the current David Begg Associates and
University of Strathclyde success rates?
We have trained over 130 people to become QP's and our success
rate is 95%.
Just under 50 people have passed the Post Graduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical
Quality and Good Manufacturing Practice and the success rate is 98%. Four
people have attained the MSc and the success rate is 100%.
When can I start my training?
Delegates can join at any point during the training course as
each module is designed to be stand alone. This enables you to better fit your
training around your home and work life.
How do I sign up?
Contact David Begg Associates either by:
Telephone:
+44 (0) 1751 432999 or
E-mail:
qp@david-begg-associates.com and speak to Stella Pearson-Smith our QP
Administrator.
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FAQ's From The Company's
Perspective
How much commitment
is required from the company for QP training?
A company needs to provide financial backing, assist with
practical experience, sponsorship, and emotional support.
It is a big responsibility enrolling an employee onto QP training however the
benefits and rewards to a company are huge.
What if we train a QP for our company and they
leave?
That is always a risk but you also need to ask yourself - what
if you don't train them and they stay!
Why do we need a QP in our company/on our site?
According to the EC Directive 2001/83,
pharmaceutical products can only be released onto the European
market by a QP named on the licence. In addition, QP training is the best way
of developing staff knowledge and ability and to apply knowledge in a quality
based environment.
What benefits will a QP bring to our company?
The QP is highly trained in a broad range of subjects. This
broader experience and knowledge will help in day to day real life problem
solving as well as longer term continued improvement.
Why don't we hire a locum QP instead?
This option can be satisfactory for some smaller companies,
however, a staff based QP will undoubtedly have a greater commitment and
ability to become aware of all the key issues in an organisation.
Why choose DBA QP training for our company?
We have trained more QP's than all the other training
providers put together and our success speaks for itself.
We believe that our success is due in no small part to the face-to-face
training, the practical focus and the personal services that we provide to each
and every one of our students.
How often will our employee be away from work?
This is very dependent on how many modules out of the 12 your
candidates needs to attend. Working on the basis that they need to attend all
of the modules they would be away from work for 5 days every 6-8 weeks.
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