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Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists

This course is designed for pharmacists working in a variety of areas, including in community pharmacies, hospitals, general practice, prisons, or the private sector. Accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), the successful completion of this course will enable pharmacists to apply for an annotation on the GPhC register as an independent prescriber.

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Overview

To apply for this course all applicants, including existing DMU Clinical Pharmacy Diploma students, should complete an application form. If you are an internal applicant (an existing student at DMU), please complete the Internal Applicants form. If you are an external applicant, please complete the External Applicants form. Once you have carefully completed the form, please email your application and all supporting documents to pharmacyIPrecruitment@dmu.ac.uk. All applicants should also obtain a supporting statement from an employer/referee, as detailed on the Appendix 1 Supporting Statement form – please kindly ask your referee to email this pharmacyIPrecruitment@dmu.ac.uk.

This course will help you to learn about the many facets of prescribing, including clinical, communication, and consultation skills, the psychology of prescribing, and legal and ethical considerations of prescribing. 

The course is delivered over six months. However, for students with sufficient time and resources, the opportunity exists to undertake all learning and assessment within four months. 

During the course, you will be expected to complete 450 hours of learning across a variety of platforms. You will attend eight compulsory face-to-face study days where you will be taught in small groups. This encourages important discussion and debate between pharmacists and lecturers, allowing for valuable reflection on the future of prescribing practice and promoting self-awareness 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 support self-directed learning through our easy-to-use online learning platform. This format allows you to study at a time convenient to you, and encourages communication with fellow pharmacists and lecturers through discussion boards. 

Key features

  • Designed and delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of expert academics, experienced multi-sector pharmacists, clinicians and healthcare professionals, with a practice-based approach to learning and assessment.
  • Benefit from the input of experienced practitioners from the fields of pharmacy, medicine and nursing; encouraging inter-disciplinary working and ensuring your learning is relevant to current practice.
  • Enjoy a collegiate approach to teaching which promotes a safe, engaging and interactive environment and promotes good relationships between the academic team and students.
  • The course design accommodates pharmacists from all sectors and provides tools to help expand your competency following qualification.
  • Our industry standard teaching facilities, including purpose-built clinical skills areas, allow you to practice in a safe environment as well as simulation-based education.
  • Use our virtual learning environment to enhance your learning experience and promote peer support through virtual discussion boards.
  • Our reputation of more than 100 years of pharmacy teaching ensures we produce graduates of the highest calibre.

 

Study days 2021/2022

There are two intakes during the academic year; September 2021 and January 2022. Students are required to participate in 8 mandatory study days, which all run from 9am to 6pm. We anticipate these will be delivered in a ‘blended’ manner, with some study days delivered online/virtually and some study days delivered at the University. This is subject to change, as per the UK Government guidance.

Students are allocated to one particular group and the provisional dates for study days for each group are below. Please note that these are also subject to change.

 

Sept 2021 Intake:

Group 1

Induction Day – 14/09/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 1 – 21/09/2021 (online)

Study Day 2 – 05/10/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 3 – 12/10/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 4 – 02/11/2021 (online)

Study Day 5 – 25/11/2021 (online)

Study Day 6 – 30/11/2021 (online)

Assessment Day – 09/12/2021 (on campus)

 

Group 2

Induction Day – 15/09/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 1 – 22/09/2021 (online)

Study Day 2 – 06/10/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 3 – 13/10/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 4 – 03/11/2021 (online)

Study Day 5 – 25/11/2021 (online)

Study Day 6 – 01/12/2021 (online)

Assessment Day – 09/12/2021 (on campus)

 

Group 3

Induction Day – 16/09/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 1 – 23/09/2021 (online)

Study Day 2 – 07/10/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 3 – 14/10/2021 (on campus)

Study Day 4 – 04/11/2021 (online)

Study Day 5 – 25/11/2021 (online)

Study Day 6 – 02/12/2021 (online)

Assessment Day – 09/12/2021 (on campus)

 

Jan 2022 Intake

Group 1

Induction Day – 11/01/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 1 – 18/01/2022 (online)

Study Day 2 – 01/02/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 3 – 08/02/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 4 – 08/03/2022 (online)

Study Day 5 – 24/03/2022 (online)

Study Day 6 – 29/03/2022 (online)

Assessment Day –07/04/2022 (on campus)

 

Group 2

Induction Day – 12/01/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 1 – 19/01/2022 (online)

Study Day 2 – 02/02/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 3 – 09/02/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 4 – 09/03/2022 (online)

Study Day 5 – 24/03/2022 (online)

Study Day 6 – 30/03/2022 (online)

Assessment Day –07/04/2022 (on campus)

 

Group 3

Induction Day – 13/01/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 1 – 20/01/2022 (online)

Study Day 2 – 03/02/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 3 – 10/02/2022 (on campus)

Study Day 4 – 10/03/2022 (online)

Study Day 5 – 24/03/2022 (online)

Study Day 6 – 31/03/2022 (online)

Assessment Day –07/04/2022 (on campus)

Due to the high demand for this programme, you will be notified which study day group you have been assigned to following the completion of the interview process. Please note that places and group preferences are allocated in order of received applications and that there are a restricted number of places. As such, the course may become full before the application deadlines indicated.

 

More courses like this:

Clinical Pharmacy MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert

Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Independent/Supplementary Prescribing (V300) Level 7

 

 

 

  • UK
  • EU/International

Key facts for UK/EU students

Institution code: D26

Course code: B23087

Assessed at Level 7

Duration: 6 months with the opportunity to submit all work within 4 months as a 'fast-track' option

Attendance for the full Independent Prescribing programme: 8 days at De Montfort University plus 90 hours of learning in practice

Start date: September 2021 and January 2022 (21/22 entry)

Application deadline:

The deadline for the September 2021 intake is 25 June at 5pm or when the intake is full; whichever comes first.

The deadline for the January 2022 intake is 29 October at 5pm or when the intake is full; whichever comes first.

All completed applications will be reviewed on a first come first serve basis.

Location of study: De Montfort University Leicester UK

Fees and funding:

Home part time - £2,000 for 45 credits

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

 

PLEASE NOTE: This course can only accept international students who are residing in the UK on a Tier 2 visa, and who are employed in the UK by an NHS Trust or a healthcare organisation that provides NHS services.

Institution code: D26

Course code: B23087

Assessed at Level 7

Duration: 6 months with the opportunity to submit all work within 4 months as a 'fast-track' option

Attendance for the full Independent Prescribing programme: 8 days at De Montfort University plus 90 hours of learning in practice

Start date: September 2021 (21/22 entry)

Location of study: De Montfort University Leicester UK

Fees and funding:

Part time - £2,000 for 45 credits

Entry criteria

        Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing

      (45 credits)
  • Be a registered pharmacist with the GPhC or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
  • Have attained a 2:2 or above in Pharmacy or equivalent degree qualification
  • Have at least two years appropriate patient-orientated experience in a UK hospital, community or primary care setting following their pre-registration year.
  • Applicants need to identify an area of clinical practice in which to develop their prescribing skills and have up-to-date clinical, pharmacological and pharmaceutical knowledge and experience relevant to that area of prescribing practice.
  • Be able to demonstrate reflective practice on performance and the ability to take responsibility for continuing professional development.
  • Support from the applicant’s employer for learning in practice and study leave
  • The applicant must have identified a designated prescribing practitioner (DPP) who can either be a medic or a non-medical prescriber. The DPP must have training and experience appropriate to their role and meet the requirements listed on the application form and the DPP Competency Framework published by Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
  • The DPP must have agreed to provide supervision, support and shadowing opportunities for the student, and be familiar with the GPhC's requirements and learning outcomes for the programme.
  • If the DPP is a non-medical prescriber, there is an expectation of 20 hours of learning in practice to be undertaken with a medic and planning for this will need to be demonstrated during the application process

All fully completed applications will be screened and suitable applicants invited to an interview selection process, using video calling where possible.

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessment

Academic expertise

 

Course modules

Prescribing is complex and multifaceted and as such, our teaching focuses on the wider skills and knowledge required of a pharmacist prescriber. Some of the learning topics covered during study days and in self-directed study are: 

  • Communication and consultation skills
  • Clinical skills including NEWS2 assessment, cardiovascular, abdominal and respiratory examinations
  • Influences on prescribing
  • Psychology of prescribing
  • Legal and ethical aspects of prescribing
  • Understanding clinical risk 
  • Clinical reasoning and decision making
  • Using evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal
  • Prescribing in a team and inter-professional education (including a half-day event with colleagues from the School of Nursing)

The course learning outcomes are follows:

1) Critically evaluate a person-centred and partnership approach to care, through self-awareness of own values and beliefs, and understanding of legal and ethical responsibilities, in order to support individuals to make risk assessed and autonomous informed decisions. 

2) Demonstrate a critical understanding of, and reflection on, the prescribing role within a multi-disciplinary team, to ensure accountability and acknowledging influences on prescribing practice, including raising concerns or reporting of inappropriate or unsafe practice. 

3) Apply evidence-based decision making to all prescribing decisions through a systematic understanding and critical awareness of pharmacology, therapeutics, public health and health promotion, to manage the risks and benefits of holistic patient management. 

4) Ensure safe prescribing practice, and improved patient outcomes, through systematic understanding and utilisation of emerging systems, technologies and practice, and application of the principles of effective monitoring and ongoing management underpinned by appropriate governance processes and documentation that aligns with relevant legislation. 

5) Apply effective history-taking, consultation, diagnostic and clinical skills to critically evaluate complex information to optimise patient care, recognising the limits of own practice and appropriate referral and support processes. 

6) Demonstrate appropriate skills to uncover information from individuals who are guarded about, or unaware of their health needs, with critical reflection on their own role, and those of others, with regards to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. 

7) Demonstrate all of learning outcomes within the current GPhC Standards for the Education and Training of Pharmacist Independent Prescribers.

The GPhC learning outcomes are listed in the Standards for the Education and Training of Pharmacist Independent Prescribers published in January 2019.

 

Teaching and assessment

All pharmacists will have chosen their own personal area of practice in which to develop their prescribing competency. This course does not teach therapeutics for individual scopes of practice, but instead facilitates structured independent learning for our students’ therapeutic areas of practice. The course encourages learning that will help pharmacists develop prescribing-related competencies and tools to expand therapeutic areas of practice post-qualification.

Assessment

There are three summative assessments for the course;  

1) Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) – This will involve three stations, with patient actors, assessing pharmacist’s clinical and consultation skills.

2) Structured Case Report - This report is an academic piece of work with a number of components. It is linked to the pharmacist’s individual scope of practice and enables consideration of a patient’s whole care pathway.

3) Prescribing Portfolio – Pharmacists will develop a portfolio in which to log experiences, reflect on learning in practice hours and demonstrate GPhC learning outcomes and prescribing competencies.

Academic expertise

The course is delivered by experienced, friendly and supportive pharmacists with an array of expertise. It is supported by medical practitioners in teaching clinical skills and experienced colleagues from the School of Nursing. Over 100 years of pharmacy teaching and expertise at our institution ensures that our graduates are of the highest calibre.

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

How to apply

To apply for this course all applicants, including existing DMU Clinical Pharmacy Diploma students, should complete an application form. If you are an internal applicant (an existing student at DMU), please complete the Internal Applicants form. If you are an external applicant, please complete the External Applicants form.

Please carefully read the front page of the application form and guidance notes throughout. Once you have carefully completed the form, please email your application and all supporting documents to pharmacyIPrecruitment@dmu.ac.uk. All applicants should also obtain a supporting statement from an employer/referee, as detailed on the Appendix 1 Supporting Statement form – please kindly ask your referee to email this pharmacyIPrecruitment@dmu.ac.uk.

What happens after I submit my application?

The module team will contact you with the outcome of your application. If the entry criteria have been met, suitable candidates will be invited to a telephone/video interview at a mutually convenient time. 

We look forward to receiving your application. 

If you would like further information about the course please e-mail the module team on pharmacyIPrecruitment@dmu.ac.uk or for an informal discussion, please feel free to contact:

Module Leader

Zeenat Hassam
E: zeenat.h.hassam@dmu.ac.uk
T: 0116 257 7129

Trisha Patel 
E: trisha.patel@dmu.ac.uk
T: 0116 366 4517

Further information

Funding 

NHS employees may be eligible for LBR Funding. Please discuss this with your employer. 

Useful links

Designated Prescribing Practitioner Handbook

GPhC Website – Entry requirements for Independent Prescribing, Accredited Courses & Standards for Education and Training of Pharmacist Independent Prescribers

GPhC Guidance for Pharmacist Independent Prescribers

RPS Competency Framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioners

RPS Competency Framework for All Prescribers

Opportunities and careers

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Graduate careers

Upon successful completion of this course you will be awarded a Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing, which will allow you to apply to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) for your register entry to be annotated to that of a prescriber. You will then be able to work as a pharmacist independent prescriber.

 

 

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