MRCPCH theory exam complaints: deadlines and evidence

Report an MRCPCH theory exam-day problem while it is happening, then submit the formal complaint through the RCPCH booking system within seven days of the examination. Test-centre candidates should tell the invigilator or centre staff on the day. Online candidates should contact TestReach support immediately and contact the RCPCH Theory Exams team if support is inaccessible or the problem remains unresolved after 15 minutes. Record a factual timeline and preserve relevant evidence; an email or telephone call alone is not the formal exam-day complaint.

This guide covers non-clinical examination administration. It contains no clinical teaching, diagnostic, treatment, prescribing, dosing, safeguarding or patient-management guidance.

Complaint rules can change. This article reflects the live RCPCH regulations and the Theory Examinations Complaints Policy linked from them on 20 October 2026. The current policy, booking form and instructions for your sitting govern your case.

The direct answer: report now, document facts, submit formally

An exam-day complaint has two connected stages:

1. Create an incident record on the day. At a test centre, report the issue to the invigilator or staff member on duty. Online, raise it immediately with the TestReach proctor or technical support and follow the current escalation instructions.
2. Submit the formal complaint in the booking system. Current RCPCH regulations require theory exam complaint forms within seven days of the exam. The complaints policy says email and telephone reports do not replace the booking-system form for an exam-day issue.

A support conversation may help solve the immediate problem, but it is not automatically the formal complaint. Preserve the incident record and complete the booking-system form within the published window.

Write what happened, when it happened, whom you contacted, what response you received and how the examination was affected. Attach only relevant evidence and answer any request for further information by its stated deadline.

Key points

• Report the problem during the examination day: tell test-centre staff, or contact TestReach immediately for an online technical or invigilation issue.
• Submit the formal exam-day complaint through the RCPCH booking system within seven days; an informal email or telephone report is not a substitute.
• A theory complaint is not a request to adjust a score. Current policy says exam results cannot be changed through this process, although another remedy may be considered when a significant evidenced issue is upheld.

What can the theory complaints process cover?

The current policy allows a candidate to complain about the theory examination process when there is evidence that a published process or procedure was not followed correctly. Its formal booking-system route is designed for exam-day issues, including delivery problems at a test centre or during online invigilation.

Examples of factual matters that may be relevant include:

• a material interruption or environmental problem at the test centre;
• an invigilation or administrative process that did not follow the published procedure;
• a remote technical problem that prevented access, interrupted the sitting or prevented completion; or
• another specific exam-day event that can be described and supported.

Do not convert disappointment with performance into an allegation. The policy excludes unsupported claims of unfairness and says anonymous complaints or complaints submitted on behalf of a candidate are not accepted. It also says the complaint procedure cannot change an examination result.

For a non-exam-day concern about the theory examination process, the policy gives the Theory Exams team email route and says those cases are reviewed individually. Keep that separate from the booking-system requirement for an exam-day complaint.

What to do at a test centre

Tell the invigilator before leaving

If a problem arises, tell the invigilator or test-centre staff member on duty. The RCPCH policy says the identified lead should document the complaint on the day, with the test-centre report then sent to the RCPCH Theory Examinations team for investigation.

Give a concise, observable account:

• the paper and session;
• the approximate start and end time of the incident;
• where you were seated, if relevant;
• what you observed;
• what action staff took; and
• whether and for how long the examination was disrupted.

Ask for confirmation that the issue has been recorded. Do not argue about a predicted score or demand an immediate outcome from centre staff. Their incident report supports the later investigation; it does not replace the formal complaint.

Submit the booking-system form

After the sitting, log in to the RCPCH booking system and complete the complaint form for the relevant examination. The current policy requires this within seven days and says complaints made only by email, or outside the window without accepted extenuating circumstances, will not be formally investigated.

State every issue you want considered. A vague sentence such as "the room was difficult" is less useful than a timestamped account of the event, its duration, who was notified and what changed.

Use the MRCPCH exam-day ID and admission checklist for preventing separate entry and identity problems before the sitting.

What to do during an online exam problem

Contact TestReach immediately

The policy requires online candidates to raise exam-day issues with the TestReach online proctor or technical support. For technical problems, its appendix instructs candidates to use TestReach chat straight away.

Continue to follow invigilator instructions. Do not open unauthorised applications, use another device outside the permitted process or ask another person to enter the room. A well-intended workaround can create a separate exam-integrity concern.

If you cannot access chat support or the problem remains unresolved after 15 minutes, the current policy instructs candidates to contact the RCPCH Theory Exams team. Use the current contact details supplied in the policy or admission instructions rather than an address copied from an old forum post.

Preserve evidence while it still exists

The policy lists specific evidence for remote technical-issue compensation consideration:

• completion of the required system checks before the exam, using the same environment and equipment;
• a screenshot or link to a speed test completed on the exam day; and
• evidence that the communication steps for technical problems were followed.

Also preserve useful factual records such as the time support was contacted, ticket or chat reference, exact error message and duration of lost access. Capture evidence only when it is safe and permitted. Do not photograph, copy or reproduce examination content.

The MRCPCH remote-exam TestReach checklist covers preventive setup. This article begins at the point where an incident occurs.

The 15-minute and 30-minute rules are not the same

Two current RCPCH documents use different time thresholds for different purposes:

• The live How you sit your exam page says a candidate who arrives or starts within the first 30 minutes may still sit without extra time; after 30 minutes, they are not permitted to sit.
• The Theory Examinations Complaints Policy says remote candidates are required to begin within 15 minutes of the published start time. If they cannot start within 15 minutes and have not contacted TestReach chat to resolve the issue, the exam will be voided without compensation.

These statements should not be blended into a single "late rule". The 30-minute statement concerns whether a late candidate may access the exam. The 15-minute statement appears in the online technical-incident and compensation conditions. Neither is a reason to wait before seeking support.

If the remote session has not started correctly, contact TestReach immediately. Record the time and follow the current official instructions. Do not wait until minute 14 or assume that possible access until minute 30 guarantees extra time, a refund or compensation.

The online-versus-test-centre guide explains the operational differences before booking.

Build a complaint evidence pack

Useful evidence is selective, chronological and directly related to the claimed process failure.

A short incident chronology

Write the sequence as soon as practical:

Time	Event	Action	Response	Effect
09:27	Login completed	Entered assigned link	Waiting for connection	No exam impact yet
09:34	Connection error displayed	Contacted TestReach chat	Ticket reference recorded	Start delayed
09:46	Problem unresolved	Contacted RCPCH as instructed	Email sent	Still unable to begin

This is a documentation example, not a representation of a particular sitting or guaranteed outcome.

Relevant supporting material

Depending on the event, relevant material may include:

• an invigilator or centre incident record;
• support-chat or ticket references;
• screenshots of error messages that contain no exam content;
• an exam-day speed-test result for a remote technical issue;
• proof of completed system checks; and
• concise correspondence with the relevant official support team.

Keep original timestamps and filenames. Do not crop evidence in a way that removes material context, and do not submit large collections of unrelated screenshots. The aim is to help the investigator reconstruct the event.

Separate evidence from interpretation

"The screen showed error code X at 09:34" is an observation. "The supplier deliberately prevented my exam" is an inference that would require substantial evidence. Lead with the record. Explain the effect on the sitting without speculating about motives or predicting the mark you would otherwise have achieved.

Use the RECORD framework

RECORD is a PaedVault editorial checklist, not an RCPCH policy or legal test.

R - Raise the issue immediately

Tell centre staff or contact TestReach support during the incident. Follow the current escalation route.

E - Establish exact times

Record when the problem began, each contact attempt, any restoration of access and the end of the disruption.

C - Capture permitted evidence

Preserve error messages, ticket references, system-check confirmation and an exam-day speed test where relevant. Never capture examination questions.

O - Open the correct booking

Use the RCPCH booking system and select the exact examination and sitting. Do not rely on an email thread as the formal submission.

R - Relate facts to the published process

Identify the instruction or procedure that you believe was not followed and show how the evidence supports that concern.

D - Deliver within seven days

Submit before the deadline, save confirmation and respond promptly if RCPCH requests more information.

How RCPCH handles a complaint

The policy describes a staged process.

First, the Theory Exams team checks whether the submission meets the policy and may request more information. If further evidence is requested, a deadline will be provided; failure to supply it can lead to the complaint being treated as withdrawn.

Next, the evidence is reviewed by the Theory Examinations Manager. More complex or serious cases can be escalated to senior assessment leadership or the RCPCH Examinations Board.

RCPCH aims to complete investigations and reach an outcome by the date results are published, although complex cases may continue beyond that date. The candidate receives a formal outcome by email and the booking-system status is updated. The policy says complaint outcome decisions are final.

Do not submit a duplicate complaint because the status has not changed immediately. Save the reference and use the official enquiry route if you need a status update.

What outcome can a complaint produce?

The complaints policy is explicit that it will not consider a request to adjust a candidate's score or result. A complaint is an investigation of exam delivery or process, not a re-mark.

Under extenuating circumstances, compensation may be considered. The policy says this is usually offered only to candidates who failed and is extremely unusual for candidates who passed. It does not promise a refund, free resit or any particular remedy merely because a complaint was submitted.

Where RCPCH identifies a significant issue that may have affected performance, the result can remain unchanged while the sitting or attempt is not counted. The precise remedy belongs to RCPCH and depends on the investigation.

For understanding marks, feedback and the distinction between complaints and re-marking, see MRCPCH theory results, pass marks and feedback.

Common complaint mistakes

Waiting for results

The formal submission window is tied to the examination date, not the result date. The policy says complaints relating to an exam are not accepted after results have been published. Submit within seven days rather than waiting to see whether you passed.

Sending only an email

Email can be part of real-time escalation or a later status enquiry, but the policy requires the booking-system form for a formal exam-day complaint.

Failing to report the incident on the day

A later narrative is harder to reconcile when no invigilator, proctor or support record exists. Report while the event is occurring and keep the reference.

Asking for extra marks

The policy does not provide score adjustment. Describe the delivery or process problem and its impact; do not frame the requested outcome as a specific mark increase.

Including examination content

Do not reproduce questions, answer options or recalled material in screenshots, attachments or the complaint narrative. Document the technical or procedural event without disclosing protected exam content.

Missing a further-evidence deadline

Submitting within seven days is not the end of the responsibility. Monitor the booking system and email, and answer requests for additional information by the stated deadline.

A worked non-clinical example

A remote candidate completes the required system checks using the examination laptop and planned room. On exam day, TestReach displays a connection error and the examination does not begin.

The candidate:

1. contacts TestReach chat immediately;
2. records the time and ticket reference;
3. completes and saves an exam-day speed test without capturing exam content;
4. follows the current troubleshooting instructions;
5. contacts the RCPCH Theory Exams team when the problem remains unresolved after 15 minutes;
6. writes a factual chronology after the incident; and
7. submits the booking-system complaint within seven days with relevant evidence.

The candidate does not assume that the complaint guarantees compensation or ask support staff to alter a mark. The value of the record is that it allows RCPCH to test what happened against the published process.

Conclusion

For an MRCPCH theory exam-day problem, act twice: report it immediately through the operational channel, then submit the formal complaint through the booking system within seven days. Test-centre candidates should involve the invigilator; online candidates should contact TestReach straight away and follow the RCPCH escalation instructions.

Keep a short timeline, preserve permitted evidence and avoid reproducing examination content. A complaint is not a score appeal and does not guarantee compensation, but a prompt, specific and well-supported record gives the official investigation the information it needs.

Frequently asked questions

How do I complain about an MRCPCH theory exam?

Report the issue on exam day, then log in to the RCPCH booking system and complete the complaint form for the relevant examination within seven days. At a test centre, tell the invigilator or centre staff. For an online issue, contact TestReach support immediately and follow the current RCPCH escalation instructions. Email or telephone contact alone is not the formal exam-day complaint.

What is the deadline for an MRCPCH theory exam complaint?

Current RCPCH regulations and the Theory Examinations Complaints Policy require the booking-system complaint form within seven days of the examination. The policy says late submissions are considered only under extenuating circumstances and may require evidence. Do not wait for results before submitting.

What evidence should I include with an online exam complaint?

Include a factual timeline, TestReach chat or ticket references, relevant error messages and proof that required system checks were completed on the same equipment and in the same environment. For technical-issue compensation consideration, the policy also asks for an exam-day speed-test screenshot or results link. Never capture or attach examination content.

Can an MRCPCH theory complaint change my score?

No. The current policy says complaints requesting an adjustment to a theory-exam score or result will not be considered. If a significant evidenced delivery issue is upheld, RCPCH may consider another remedy, but the result itself stands and no particular compensation is guaranteed.

Is contacting TestReach enough to make a formal complaint?

No. Contacting TestReach immediately is required for an online technical or invigilation problem and creates an important incident record, but the current policy separately requires the formal complaint through the RCPCH booking system within seven days. Keep the support reference and include it in the form.

Sources

1. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Theory Examinations Complaints Policy. Version 3.0 review recorded October 2025; accessed 20 October 2026.
2. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Regulations and rules for MRCPCH and DCH examinations. Updated 14 October 2026.
3. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Theory exams: how you sit your exam. Accessed 20 October 2026.