Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Orlistat capsules three times daily and meal timing for the GPhC assessment

Three original practice questions, with the working shown. Read the stated prescription or plan before calculating.

Published 31 October 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

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Photo from Pexels, used under the Pexels licence. It is a stock image and does not show the exercise.

The NHS states that orlistat capsules are taken 3 times a day with a meal, and the BNF lists 120 mg up to 3 times a day, taken immediately before, during or up to 1 hour after each main meal.

The NHS advises that if a meal is missed or contains no fat, no capsule is taken; the BNF states the dose should be omitted.

The NHS advises that taking orlistat for more than 3 months is not recommended without 5% weight loss, and the BNF limits treatment beyond 12 weeks to patients who have lost more than 5% of body weight since starting.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and distinguish a single dose from a daily total or course supply. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Count only the meals that are eaten and contain fat; one capsule per qualifying meal.
  2. Cap the daily count at 3 doses, one per main meal.
  3. Multiply the daily capsule count by the number of days for a supply.
  4. Convert milligrams per dose to a daily total only when the question asks.
  5. Check whether the question counts every day or adjusts for skipped meals.

Three practice questions

Work each one on paper first, then open the answer. All patients and prescriptions are fictional.

Question 1

A fictional patient takes 1 orlistat 120 mg capsule with breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for 28 days. How many capsules is that?

Show the answer

Answer: 84 capsules

Working: 3 capsules x 28 days = 84 capsules.

Question 2

In one 7-day week a fictional patient skips breakfast on 2 days, eating 2 fat-containing meals on those days and 3 on the other 5 days. How many capsules are taken that week?

Show the answer

Answer: 19 capsules

Working: 5 days x 3 capsules = 15; 2 days x 2 capsules = 4; 15 + 4 = 19 capsules.

Question 3

A fictional patient takes orlistat 120 mg three times a day. How many milligrams is that per day, and over 30 days?

Show the answer

Answer: 360 mg per day; 10,800 mg over 30 days

Working: 120 mg x 3 = 360 mg per day; 360 mg x 30 days = 10,800 mg.

NHS: Orlistat

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/orlistat/

Where marks are lost

  • Counting a capsule for a meal that was missed or contained no fat.
  • Allowing more than 3 doses in a day when the schedule is tied to main meals.
  • Treating arithmetic as evidence that a real prescription is clinically suitable.

Frequently asked questions

Are these official assessment questions?

No. They are original revision exercises, not official GPhC questions and not for patient care.

Does a capsule count change if a meal is skipped?

In these exercises, follow the stated meals. Real dosing advice comes from the prescriber or pharmacist.

How should I check the answer?

Check the requested unit, then work backwards from the quantity to the stated dose and duration.

Sources

The questions above are original and use fictional patients and prescriptions. PreRegExamPrep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

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More calculation topics

See also the formula sheet, the eight sample questions and the approved calculator page.