Previously, GP trainees had access to the BNF during their SCA exam, but this is no longer the case. This change is partly due to the discontinuation of the free provision of the printed BNF. The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has also determined that removing the BNF should not be a significant obstacle, as the SCA exam is designed to assess your consultation skills rather than your ability to reference external sources in real-time.

In the future, SCA exam cases would be specifically designed to require only the knowledge gained from the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) and your learning from your GP training programme during the primary care placements.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you keep your AKT knowledge up to date and prepare thoroughly for the SCA exam, this change should not place you at a disadvantage. There may be positive unintended benefits, such as reducing the distractions and disruptions that referencing the BNF during the exam could cause you, which could negatively impact your performance in the RTO ( Relating to Others) domain.

Reference Link:  https://www.rcgp.org.uk/Blog/access-bnf-sca-examination

Dr Sakaria Farah

PassCME SCA Tutor