We aim to ensure that the course delivers outcomes which meet the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Competency Framework for all Prescribers (2021) adopted by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
This course will enable you to evaluate and challenge prescribing practice with reference to evidence based practice, equality and diversity and clinical governance.
This module is accredited by the NMC, HCPC (Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Advanced Paramedics and Therapeutic Radiographers) and upon successful completion, you will be able to add an annotation to your professional registration as an independent prescriber. For Dietitians and Diagnostic Radiographers you will be able upon successful completion to add the annotation as a supplementary prescriber.
This course will enable you to evaluate and challenge prescribing practice with reference to evidence based practice, equality and diversity and clinical governance.
This module is accredited by the NMC, HCPC (Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Advanced Paramedics and Therapeutic Radiographers) and upon successful completion, you will be able to add an annotation to your professional registration as an independent prescriber. For Dietitians and Diagnostic Radiographers you will be able upon successful completion to add the annotation as a supplementary prescriber.
This is a well-established and successful independent/supplementary prescribing programme for pharmacists, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, podiatrists, radiographers and dietitians.
It is a part-time, blended learning programme which leads to you qualifying as an independent prescriber (community and primary care pharmacists, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, podiatrists, paramedics and therapeutic radiographers) or as a supplementary prescriber (diagnostic radiographers and dieticians). You develop the knowledge and skills to practise as prescribers and to meet the standards set by your respective professional/regulatory body. Available as eight or 12 months duration. Also available at Level 6 for nurses/midwives.
This course is:
This course will help you to learn about the many facets of prescribing, including clinical skills, clinical reasoning, consultation skills, communication skills, the psychology of prescribing and the legal and ethical considerations when prescribing.
The course is usually delivered over six months. However, for students with sufficient time and resources, the opportunity exists to undertake all learning and assessment within four months. There is also the option of carrying out the course over 12 months, for students who would prefer this. Please note that these timeframes refer to the period of studying: marking and quality assurance processes associated with assessment will be in addition to these time-frames.
During the course, you will undertake a mix of self-directed learning, structured online learning, and learning in practice. This includes attendance at eight compulsory study days during which you will be taught in small groups. Our small group teaching encourages important discussion and debate amongst fellow pharmacists and lecturers, allowing for valuable reflection on the future of prescribing practice and promoting self-awareness and critical thinking as a non-medical prescriber.
You will also undertake the equivalent of at least 12 days (or 90 hours) of practice-based experience, under the supervision of your Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP), working towards competencies in a chosen area of practice.
To reinforce your learning, we also support self-directed learning through our easy-to-use online learning platforms. This format allows you to study at a time convenient to you, and encourages communication with fellow pharmacists and lecturers.
Key features
The course runs over 2 x 20 credit 13-week modules. Both modules must be successfully completed to be eligible to apply for registration as an independent and/or supplementary prescriber with your governing body.
The first module covers the theoretical underpinning for prescribing practice (including pharmacology) and is delivered over ten taught days within the university.
The second module requires the clinical application of prescribing practice. This module requires you to do 90 hours in supervised practice and complete a portfolio.
There are two forms of prescribing in the UK - Independent Prescribing and Supplementary Prescribing:
Regulations about what medications can be prescribed can differ between professional groups and are also dependent upon which form of prescribing is used (IP or SP). In addition, each individual prescriber may only prescribe for conditions that are within their competence, which is usually set out within an agreed scope of practice.
Our non-medical prescribing modules enable you to develop the competence to practice safely and appropriately in relation to professional standards set by Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or Health Care Professional Council (HCPC).
This short course is aimed at eligible NMC or HCPC registrants to become Independent and Supplementary Prescribers or Supplementary Prescribers as set out by the relevant regulatory body. It offers you the opportunity to develop the competencies required to become an independent and supplementary prescriber.
The content of this course meets the requirements of both the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2018) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC, 2019) prescribing standards.
This outline syllabus identifies the principal areas of knowledge, understanding and abilities required to underpin the practice of prescribing: * Consultation, clinical decision-making and therapy, including monitoring and referral * Physical examination, assessment and history taking including medication history and reconciliation * Modification and cessation of medication in response to clinical indices * Influences on, and psychology of, prescribing * Prescribing in a team context * Communication with service users and/or carers regarding medicines compliance, concordance and/or adherence * Clinical pharmacology, including the effects of co-morbidity, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, adverse drug reactions, interactions and adverse incidents * Evidence-based practice and clinical governance in relation to prescribing * The legal context relevant to supplementary and independent prescribing, including controlled drugs, mixing of medicines, off-label prescribing of medicines and the prescribing of unlicensed medicines * Independent and supplementary prescribing mechanisms and the supply/administration of medicines * Policy and ethical aspects of Prescribing * Professional accountability and responsibility relating to independent and supplementary prescribing * Prescribing in the public health context including antimicrobial resistance and infection prevention/control * Clinical Management Plans