Assessment Venue and Invigilation Services - UK & EU

Background information

The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator for doctors, physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).

There are various routes to GMC registration for those wishing to work in the UK. All candidates wishing to obtain registration are required to demonstrate they have the necessary knowledge and skills.

Some routes to registration require an assessment of knowledge and skills. Knowledge is typically demonstrated through an Applied Knowledge Test (AKT). The GMC currently provides AKT assessments for the following routes.

- Professional Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB)

- Anaesthesia Associate Registration Assessment (AARA)

The GMC supports another regulator, Medical Council Ireland, to deliver their Pre-Registration Examination Assessment, known as PRES 2.

Standard AKT exams are a three hour, in-person written exam paper.

Objective

We wish to tender for a supplier to support delivery of AKT exams throughout the UK and EU. Contracted services will include:

- providing venues

- invigilation services

- administrative and logistical support.

AKT locations and capacities may vary to those highlighted below but will be determined as and when required.

Scope of requirement

We run AKT written exams up to four times a year in the UK and overseas. Exam dates are planned up to a year in advance.

Exam bookings in the UK typically close two weeks before the examination date. Exam bookings outside of the UK typically close six weeks before the examination date.

The standard exam duration is three hours. Exam start times are specified by the GMC to minimise time differences between sittings worldwide.

The supplier may be asked to provide venue and invigilation services for other GMC assessments.

Demand for exam places varies over time; volumes and candidate numbers cannot be guaranteed. For example, we have released between 5000 and 25,000 places for GMC AKT over the last few years, with candidates sitting across over 20 sites across the world.

Venue sizes vary and can be required for up to 1000 candidates in one venue, and the supplier must be able to be flexible and meet the needs of the GMC.

There are two separate Lots as follows.

- Lot 1 – UK

- Lot 2 – EU

Bidders can submit a bid for one or both Lots and should clearly indicate which Lot(s) they are bidding for in their submitted document(s).

Lot 1 – UK

We currently run exams at the following locations, but these will change over time and between administrations:

- London.

- Manchester.

- Edinburgh.

- Cardiff.

- Belfast.

- Birmingham.

Lot 2 – EU

We currently run exams at the following locations, but these will change over time and between administrations with the potential to include other countries in the EU during the life of the contract.

- Spain.

- Ireland.