personal statement for independent prescribing course

• Pharmacist Independent Prescriber Course
• Minor Illnesses And Acute Conditions Course
• Setting Up A Private Clinic

Nonmedical prescribing personal statement examples

• Non-Medical Prescribing

Competition. That is precisely what you are up against. That is because these days, everyone wants to become a prescribing pharmacist. Consequently, because of the demand, it is also challenging to be accepted on a course.

Moreover, the majority of pharmacists should be prescribers by 2025, according to plans outlined by Health Education England.

Rejected. Declined. Unsuccessful. These are terms that you may be familiar with if you’re struggling to be accepted on a prescribing course –  it took me three years to finally get on a course.  In hindsight, my unsuccessful application was not all my fault.

But there were certain aspects of my application that could have been improved. Continue reading, and I’ll explain.

What is nonmedical prescribing?

Nonmedical prescribing refers to the prescribing of medications by trained professionals who are not physicians. This can include nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals.

Nonmedical prescribing is becoming more common as it is recognized as a way to improve patient care. Nurses, and pharmacists, in particular, are well-suited to prescribe medications, as they often have close relationships with their patients and are familiar with their medical history.

There are many reasons why a patient might see a nonmedical prescriber instead of a physician. In some cases, the nonmedical prescriber may be more convenient or accessible. In other cases, the patient may prefer to see a healthcare professional who is not a doctor, or the nonmedical prescriber may be more knowledgeable about a particular condition.

Pharmacist nonmedical prescribing is regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC). In order to prescribe medications, a pharmacist must have completed an accredited pharmacy program and passed the national licensing exam. Once licensed, a pharmacist can complete additional training to become certified in nonmedical prescribing.

Which universities provide accredited nonmedical prescribing courses

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC) is the governing body that regulates pharmacist nonmedical prescribing. There are many universities that offer accredited courses in nonmedical prescribing.

Check out the list of accredited universities that offer nonmedical prescribing courses.

• University of Manchester
• King’s College London
• Queen’s University Belfast
• Cardiff University
• University of Nottingham

For more Information about the GPHC and nonmedical prescribing, visit their website.

The Nonmedical prescribing application form

Before you consider applying to university, you must ensure; that (1) you meet the General Pharmaceutical Criteria; and (2) have access to a designated prescribing practitioner. I shall discuss these in more depth in future articles.

Most application forms are divided into the following sections; (1) personal, professional and academic qualifications; (2) personal statement; (3) suitability to apply for the course.

Let us explore each section in depth.

GPHC nonmedical prescribing criteria

GPHC prescribing course criteria are: that all participants be registered pharmacists with at least two years post-registration experience, that the course is delivered by experienced and accredited educators, and that the syllabus covers all key areas of safe and effective prescribing that the assessment is rigorous and includes a practical component.

The GPHC criteria to undertake the qualification can be found on their website. And universities seem to be requiring evidence for is;  demonstrating you have clinical or therapeutic experience in which to develop your prescribing practice .

Before we discuss how to address the above requirement, you must understand the following; the independent prescribing course is not designed to teach you clinical skills. Moreover, it is designed for students who have experience in assessing, diagnosing and treating patients.

At this point, you may be wondering how to demonstrate this. Well, evidence could include; (1) evidence of training in your defined scope of practice; (2) a diploma in pharmacy practice or equivalent within your scope; (3) evidence of training in history taking and physical examination skills; (4) attendance of continued education events linked to your scope; (5) submission of CPD or re-validation records linked to your intended scope; lastly (6) you may be required to attend an interview with a member of the admission team.

If you are still unsure at this point to demonstrate the above criteria, then try answering the following questions; (1) What is your scope of practice?- in-depth Information is provided below.

To summarise, ensure your scope of practice is well defined. For example, the following scope of practice would be too broad; treating hypertension. Instead, the following would be more appropriate; hypertension stages 1 & 2 in 30-60 years old with no signs of end-organ damage. (2) What experience do you have in your intended scope of practice?- taking the example of hypertension- you could mention the following; undertaking blood pressure checks, assistance with treatment choices and recommendations to the doctor and offering health and lifestyle advice to patients.

Nonmedical prescribing scope of practice

Choose an area that you are passionate about and develop your skills in this area before you attempt to gain your prescribing qualification.

For example, you may want to develop your skills in diagnosing and treating a single minor illness such as tonsillitis or acne if you are in a community pharmacy. Similarly, in a G.P. practice, you may decide on developing your skills in the diagnosis and management of a single chronic disease such as hypertension or asthma.

However, there is a caveat: you need to have sufficient experience – I’ll discuss in more depth below – within your scope of practice before undertaking your prescribing qualification.

Developing sufficient experience and continued professional development for undertaking the nonmedical prescribing course

Right. Pay attention now because this is important.

Let’s say you are a community pharmacist and you have a passion for helping people reduce their risk of a stroke and so decide to embark on a journey to diagnose and treat hypertension.

Well, the first step will be to develop your theoretical skills regarding the condition itself. This involves you having an in-depth understanding of the disease state, ie. Its causes, diagnosis, and management. Once you have this underpinning knowledge, you need to practice managing these patients in a safe environment.

And finally, once you have been exposed to many patients and feel comfortable managing these patients, albeit under the supervision of an experienced colleague, you are ready to undertake your prescribing qualification.

Selecting your scope of practice

I am hoping from the above, you have realized that selecting your scope of practise isn’t necessarily as simple as following your passion. You will need to consider the following; (1) do you have the underlying theoretical knowledge about the disease state? If not, are you willing to learn?; (2) are there clear guidelines that can help support you as you develop your skills? ; (3) do you have access to patients to whom you can apply your knowledge under the supervision of an experienced colleague?

If you think about it, the above is no different from when we as pharmacists undertook our pre-registration training, and that is; (1) you gained the theoretical skills at university and (2) you applied them under supervision during your pre-reg year.

The similarity exists because that is how you learn. Remember how you gained your driving license? The theory first and then practise under supervision and then exam. It’s no different here.

Factors to consider

Initially, I would suggest you begin to develop your skills and gain experience in areas that meet the following; (1) you’re passionate about that particular area; (2) there are clear, well-defined guidelines to support your decision-making and practice ; (3) you have access to patients and a mentor to support you and ; (4) there a demand for it.

Examples of well-defined scope of practice

Hypertension stages 1, 2, and 3 with no comorbidities. Notice how the scope of practice is narrow, and there are clear guidelines.

An example of a broad scope of practice would simply be stating you were comfortable managing all types of hypertension, including but not limited to patients with evidence of end-organ damage or those who have other pre-existing conditions such as diabetes.

What about asthma? Can you think of defining a narrow scope of practice? If you think about classifying asthma as mild, moderate, or severe, then you are on the right track. But what about a patient who has mild asthma but presents with symptoms of an exacerbation? Do you have the skills to treat this? It might be that you define your scope of practice as mild to moderate well-controlled asthma with no signs of an exacerbation?

Scope of practice and your I.P. course

I wanted to include this section because your scope of practice is not one that can not be expanded as you learn and gain experience.

For example, you may start out by mastering – if such a thing is possible – mild to moderate well-controlled asthma, and during your prescribing course, stick to this area.

But, as you gain more experience and become confident, you may decide to expand your scope of practice to include the management of acute exacerbations, or you may even start to develop your skills in a different area, such as the management of hypertension – again, make sure it’s narrow and then expand – or minor illnesses, etc.

A well-defined scope of practice is not just to satisfy a university but is intended to keep you safe and assist you in developing your skills in an environment that is also safe for patients.

Designated prescribing practitioner details

The following details are usually required regarding the designated prescribing practitioner.

• GMC or professional body registration number
• Evidence of having experience in teaching and providing education to other healthcare professionals
• Scope of practice
• A confirmatory experience that the DMP/DPP is able to provide ninety hours’ worth of training and supervision

Your background, qualifications and continued professional development

This section isn’t too difficult. However, some universities require a brief description of your current role- and this is where you may slip up. I’d recommend you focus on the patient-facing aspects of your role and how you engage as part of a multidisciplinary, i.e. (1) explain how you assist patients with their minor ailments, such as diagnosing and treating their conditions or referral to an appropriate clinician; and (2) mention the services you currently offer to patients such as vaccinations, blood pressure testing, aesthetic treatments etc.

Remember, the university wants to establish more than just your general experience as a pharmacist. Although it is recommended that you provide an overview of your current role (e.g. managing staff, responsible for the Pharmacy, recruiting staff etc.) – but do not forget to explain how you manage and diagnose diseases of your patients. This is because the university expects upon gaining your qualification, it will be used within a patient-facing role.

Supporting organization

Fairly straightforward. However, it may not be applicable to all applicants- please do check with the university. Here your place of work – usually the line manager- would need to; (1) provide a written reference in support of your application- the exact wording to be used is usually provided by the application and (2) verify your suitability to undertake the course- again this is a deceleration.

Personal statement

This section can vary depending on the university you apply to. The following question is commonly asked; (1) why do you want to undertake the course? – talk about your personal development and career progression but also how the role of the pharmacist is evolving and thus gaining the qualification is in line with the agenda of the NHS ; (2) how do you plan to use your prescribing qualification? Your response will vary depending on your place of work, e.g. within a community pharmacy; you may consider offering more advanced services like a minor illness clinic, aesthetics clinic, or prescribing for patients referred by the doctor. In contrast, within the general practice, you could use your prescribing qualification to diagnose, manage and treat disease – thus, relieving pressures on the G.P.

Joining Pharmacy was an important milestone, and, as a person with a sense of respect & love for human life, I embraced the field of Pharmacy. I am passionate about Pharmacy and am encouraged by the direction pharmacy as a profession is heading.

Pharmacy has dramatically evolved over the last three decades from a predominantly product focus to a patient-orientated profession. With the advent of Pharmacy prescribing, community pharmacy will become the most influential sector of the pharmacy profession.

With current and future shortfall in G.P. and nurse numbers, pharmacists who develop their prescribing practice are ideally placed to support their fellow professionals and improve the quality of care for patients. 

I feel as medication experts; pharmacist independent prescribing can be a vital source of clinical care. Below are examples of the benefit to patients and the NHS: 

• Pharmacist Independent prescribing can provide personalized, timely, flexible access to treatment for patients requiring urgent or critical care, rather than delayed treatment or referral to other services. 
• Independent prescribers can optimize the management of long-term conditions rather than waiting for treatment adjustments required from the G.P., i.e. pharmacist-led hypertension clinic. 
• Independent prescribers can prescribe timely, effective treatments for patients with special health needs without requiring a separate appointment with the doctor, with the associated potential delay. 

As an independent prescriber, I believe It could contribute hugely to the care of patients and support the medicine’s optimization agenda, thus supporting adherence and improvement in health outcomes. 

I would like to develop my prescribing skill in the screening and management of uncomplicated hypertension stages 1,2 and 3 in adults aged between 40-79 because; hypertension is a major cause of 

mortality in the U.K. and diseases caused by high blood pressure cost the NHS over £ 2 billion every year. 

Successful hypertension management depends on good patient education, rational prescribing of antihypertensive medicines and sufficient fo low-up to assess the efficacy of the chosen regimen and address patient adherence issues. As such, this is an ideal opportunity for input from an independent pharmacist prescriber. Furthermore, by contributing and working towards reducing the blood pressure of the nation as a whole, £850 million of NHS and social ca spend could be avoided over ten years. 

I am already accredited to undertake Medicine Use reviews, New medication reviews and trained to vaccinate. Independent prescribing is the next stage which will further my career and allow me to develop my diagnosis, clinical and communication s 

I would prefer to join your school on account of its excellent research facilities combined with distinguished and dedicated faculty. My admission into your esteemed institution is of paramount importance for my career. With my theoretic knowledge and practical skills coupled with my dedication and sincerity, I am well equipped to meet your expectations. I am confident that if admitted, I would surely satisfy your expectations. 

I would eagerly look forward to being amongst your distinguished academic community. I take this opportunity to thank the university faculty for the patient perusal of my application.

Evidence of relevant ‘patient-oriented practice’ for pharmacist independent prescribing and nonmedical prescribing professionals

With the pharmacy profession being the third-largest professional group in the NHS, the pharmacy profession plays a significant and unique role in the healthcare of patients by delivering patient-centred care. It is clear that Pharmacy makes an important contribution to improving public health and reducing health inequalities.

My role as a pharmacist at Ahmeys pharmacy involves the provision of patient-centred professional services. Below are examples of pharmacy-based healthcare services/clinics provided at Ahmeys pharmacy, for which I am responsible.

1. Consultations on healthy lifestyle advice: services offered include;

• Ahmeys pharmacy stop smoking clinic: A private service offered throughout the week with advance bookings of clients. The clinic offers a one-to-one support service and Advice for those who want to give up smoking and, where appropriate, initiate drug therapy via PGS *Champix etc.) or nicotine replacement therapy. As part of continued professional development, all pharmacists are given training on “behavioural change methods”, as studies show pharmacists who are not given training are more likely to just respond to smokers’ requests for Advice without proactively initiating conversations about smoking.
• Healthy eating, obesity advice and weight reduction programmes: A weight reduction programme has been set up at the Pharmacy (i.e. lipotrim) and offered to those patients who want to lose weight and to those who may benefit from weight loss. As part of the service, patients are given Advice on ;
• Health eating; Increase daily fruit, oily fish and vegetable consumption. In addition, a reduction in the proportion of total fat and salt intake is also advised. 
• Increased physical activity and
• Reduction (where appropriate) in alcohol consumption.
• Screening services an example of a service offered at the Pharmacy which is directly relevant to my scope of intended prescribing (hypertension) is Ahmeys pharmacy “Healthy heart Clinic”;
• This clinic involves the screening and management of secondary prevention of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). Studies show individuals with symptoms of coronary heart disease, stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), or multiple risk factors for heart disease are typically three to five times more likely to die, suffer a heart attack or other major vascular event, than people without such conditions and risk factors. The clinic was set up in line with the vision of the NHS on medicine optimization and the effectiveness of a pharmacist’s role in public health. The result of studies shows simple treatments and important lifestyle changes can reduce people’s risks substantially and perhaps even reverse the progression of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, when used appropriately, these interventions can be more cost-effective than any other treatments s currently provided by the NHS.

Clients are identified as at risk of developing CHD by reviewing patient medical records or during medication use reviews and invited to the clinic. At the clinic, a holistic approach to the management of CHD is adopted, which includes:

• Development of pharmaceutical care plans in partnership with the patient;
• The pharmaceutical care plans identify medication needs and patient goals for their desired outcomes. Furthermore, treatment details of treatment for minor health problems are also recorded in the care plans. At Ahmeys pharmacy, a patient-centred approach is used, which has a significant impact on patient care by increasing patient safety and patient experience.
• Stop smoking advice
• Information about other modifiable risk factors and personalized Advice about how they can be reduced, i.e. Advice on physical activity, diet, alcohol consumption, weight and diabetes.
• Advice and treatment to maintain blood pressure below 140/85 mm hg, which include;
• Daily low-dose aspirin (75mgs)
• Statins and dietary Advice to lower serum, i.e. reduce saturated fat intake, increase monounsaturated fat intake and total intake of fruits and vegetables while monitoring simple carbohydrate intake. 
• Evidence-based prescribing (Medication review ) to the following ensure;
• Patients with left ventricular dysfunction are prescribed an Ace inhibitor
• Patients who also have myocardial infarction are prescribed a beta-blocker
• Warfarin, aspirin or other new agents (i.e. Apixaban etc.) for people over 60 years old who also have atrial fibrillation and meticulous control of blood pressure and glucose in patients with diabetes.

Description of ongoing continued professional Development for personal statement 

All registered pharmacists have a professional obligation to maintain a record of their continued professional development (CPD) and are liable to be responsible for their actions and accountability for keeping their skills and knowledge up to date to fulfil their professional role. 

The reflection part of the continued professional development cycle involves identifying learning needs through various methods, which include but are not limited to appraisals, critical incidents, review of experiences, feedback from others, reading publications, attending workshops, and completing a personal development plan to help identify carer goals etc.

Below is an example of how I have made use of critical thinking to reflect on my own performance;

I had been invited to attend a meeting with the local G.P. practice, which identified they were lacking in meeting their hypertension QOF targets. Upon discussion and critical thinking, it was identified that by developing a pharmacy-led “healthy heart clinic” with a focus on hypertension, improvements could be made to patient health outcomes and, therefore, the surgery QOF targets. Furthermore, it was explained to the local practice this initiative is in line with the government’s agenda of medicine optimization and pharmacist playing a greater role in the health of patients.

As a result of the meeting, I suggested the development of a pharmacy-led hypertension clinic. The idea was greeted with a mixed response from those in favour of and those against the development of the clinic.

 As part of the development of the clinic, I identified a set of learning outcomes and objectives to form part of my learning and professional development to ensure a safe and patient-orientated service was to be offered by the Pharmacy in line with clinical governance.

Below is a summary of the learning needs which would need to be undertaken :

• I must be able to define hypertension and how it is diagnosed.
• I must be able to differentiate primary hypertension from secondary hypertension.
• I must understand the rationale for treating hypertension and recommended B.P. goals.
• I should feel confident in recommending lifestyle modifications to patients.
• I must have updated to-date clinical knowledge with regards to the management and prevention of secondary coronary heart disease with a focus on hypertension. 
• I should be able to recognize hypertensive urgency and emergency and refer as appropriate.
• I should be aware of regulations surrounding patient consent and CQC registration.
• Requirements for audit

As a result of my learning, I was able to update my knowledge and develop the clinic. An audit was carried out to see the effectiveness of the clinic and its impact on patient health outcomes. The results were positive and shared with colleagues and the local practice. Upon further reflection, it was identified there could be a case for the development of nonmedical prescribing within this scope of practice which would further improve patient health outcomes, reduce the burden of G.P.s and improve patient accessibility. 

By reflecting on my own performance providing patient-orientated services, I was able to learn as a product of the situation I have found myself and in doing so, I was able to create new knowledge, enhance my skills and challenge established beliefs and attitudes.

Development of your prescribing network

Networking involves the process of making meaningful connections and building mutually beneficial relationships, which is crucial for future success. The benefits of networking include acquiring career information, Advice, and other opportunities. In addition, regular networking can increase confidence, encourage reflection on practice, gather feedback from others, review what others are putting into practice etc.   

Below are a few examples of strategies I would adopt to network including but are not limited to;

1. Social media I.e Linkden. This source of networking allows one to connect with peers, colleagues and other individuals with similar clinical backgrounds or future interests.

2. Attending pharmacy conferences and relevant training courses. This source of networking would encourage regular updates of my knowledge and allow networking with other health professionals (i.e. non, medical prescribes). This, allow opportunities to review what other prescribers are putting into practice, gather feedback in order to disseminate to other colleagues and an opportunity to share good practice

Setting up plans to meet with other healthcare professionals at local forums with similar clinical backgrounds and work. This form of networking would allow peer review of prescribing decisions and the sharing of good practices, especially for policy and protocol development.

Nonmedical prescribing course reference example

Author:  Faheem Ahmed

Pharmacist Prescriber, 2x Award-Winning Pharmacist, Pharmacy and Clinic Owner, Founder of MEDLRN and loves sharing his experience with pharmacists.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post comment

Becoming a pharmacist independent prescriber: eight tips for success

LIFE IN VIEW/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

After reading this article, you should be able to:

• Understand the issues that can arise for new pharmacist prescribers;
• Identify the support and structures needed from employers, professional bodies and social networks in order to practice safely, legally and ethically;
• Understand the importance of self-reflection in identifying strengths, weaknesses and gaps in knowledge, as well as limits to practice;
• Manage the expectations of a multidisciplinary team.

Pharmacist independent prescribers (PIPs) can prescribe any medicine for any medical condition, including unlicensed medicines, subject to accepted good clinical practice. They can also prescribe schedule 2, 3, 4, and 5 controlled drugs, including diamorphine hydrochloride, dipipanone and cocaine (for treating organic disease or injury, but not for treating addiction) ​[1]​ .

The number of registered PIPs in the UK more than tripled between 2016 and 2020, from 2,781 to 8,806 ​[2]​ PIPs. In Wales alone, more than 16,000 consultations have been delivered by PIPs since 2016 ​[3]​ . PIPs are now seen as so important to patient care that by 2026, all newly qualified pharmacists in Great Britain will be registered as prescribers ​[4]​ . An extra £3m of funding has also been committed for 2022/2023 to boost the prescribing pharmacist workforce in the community sector in Wales ​[5]​ .

Independent prescribing has extended the role of pharmacists in all areas of practice. Hospital-based PIPs are prescribing across several tertiary care specialties, as well as using their prescribing skills in more generalist roles, such as acute and post-acute medicine. In primary care, PIPs treat acute conditions and long-term physical and mental health conditions . In community pharmacy, PIPs have been commissioned  to provide services such as anticoagulation clinics and minor ailment clinics. Community pharmacy is the most challenging sector in which to implement prescribing services owing to several barriers, including lack of access to records, time and peer support ​[6]​ .

Nonetheless, working as a PIP can provide professional satisfaction and the opportunity to help improve patient safety and outcomes ​[7]​ . PIPs are important contributors to multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), working with other healthcare professionals to agree on a patient’s care ​[8]​ .

The ‘ Competency framework for all prescribers ‘, published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, describes best practice, alongside the knowledge and skills required by individuals to prescribe safely and effectively ​[9]​ .

However, making the transition from pharmacist to PIP can be challenging. Being accountable for prescribing decisions requires a shift in mindset and being comfortable with the grey areas of clinical practice and acceptance of a certain level of risk. This can be difficult in a profession known for being risk-averse ​[10]​ . Outlined below are eight strategies to help successfully navigate this shift.

1. Acknowledge and understand that being a PIP is a different role, not just an extension of your current one

A common misconception among pharmacists starting to train as independent prescribers is that they are already making prescribing decisions when they advise other prescribers on changes to medication. However, there is a lot more to the role — The BNF states that PIPs are “responsible and accountable for the assessment of patients with undiagnosed or diagnosed conditions and for decisions about the clinical management required, including prescribing” ​[11]​ .

PIPs make decisions about the care of a patient without needing to consult another prescriber, and they are accountable for those decisions. This differs from the clinical pharmacist role, in which the pharmacist may make a recommendation, but the prescriber will make and be accountable for that decision. To prepare for this change in level of responsibility, newly qualified prescribers should follow the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) guidance for pharmacist prescribers ​[9]​ :

• Ensure they have all the necessary information to prescribe safely;
• Prescribe only within the limits of their knowledge, skills and area of competence;
• Ensure they follow up their prescribing decisions by providing the patient with relevant information, ensuring that any required monitoring is carried out, and that that the patient knows how to seek further help if required.

Employers will often expect PIPs to record, and seek organisational approval for, their scope of practice as a prerequisite to prescribing, and they must only prescribe within the scope described in that document. Providers of professional indemnity insurance may also require a scope of practice document to be in place before suitable cover is issued and PIPs may not be covered if they prescribe outside of this scope.

2. Develop clinical reasoning and decision-making skills

Pharmacists have traditionally based decisions on the science, preferring facts and details over the application of knowledge in uncertain circumstances ​[10]​ . Prescribers, on the other hand, must adopt a less risk-averse mindset by incorporating the principles of clinical and diagnostic reasoning .

Clinical reasoning is ‘an evidence-based, dynamic process in which the healthcare professional combines scientific knowledge, clinical experience and critical thinking, with existing and newly gathered information about the patient against a backdrop of clinical uncertainty’ (see Figure) ​[12]​ . Prescribers must have both in-depth clinical knowledge and robust decision-making skills.

A practical step that newly qualified PIPs can take to improve clinical reasoning is to involve other members of the MDT in prescribing decisions. In secondary care, for example, the pharmacist may discuss prescribing decisions with the medical team during a ward round, or at MDT meetings. In primary care, it might be a discussion with a GP or specialist colleague before or after a consultation. In either sector, the pharmacist can make use of specialist teams in secondary care or community by email or phone for advice.

For more information, see ‘ How to use clinical reasoning in pharmacy ’. 

3. Implement reflective practice

Prescribers must understand the cognitive biases that are present in their decision making (see Table) and recognise the ways in which their own previous experience and external factors, such as the organisation they work in, may influence prescribing. This requires an element of meta-cognition, or ‘thinking about thinking’ ​[14]​ . The GPhC recommends that PIPs have another person to regularly audit and monitor their prescribing; this could include a peer discussion focusing on their prescribing decisions ​[9]​ . These discussions could take the form of a case-based discussion, such as those used during the prescribing course, to help facilitate reflective practice .

4. Critically appraise research data and apply evidence-based practice

Being able to think critically about information (even from reputable sources) and to extract and translate relevant and useful information from the literature is an essential component that allows more effective clinical decisions to be made for patients. Learning how to use the evidence to answer a clinical question , including how to critically appraise the evidence for quality, is essential.

A practical step that pharmacists can take to develop critical analysis skills is to join a journal club that uses a recognised model for critical appraisal of primary research evidence, such as the critical appraisal skills programme ​[16]​ . In secondary care, journal clubs tend to exist within specialties, so networking is essential, regardless of the setting. If the meeting is held remotely, why not ask if you can contribute? If you cannot find an existing journal club to join, you could set one up .

5. Become familiar with the different standards that PIPs must meet

PIPs are required by the General Pharmaceutical Council to adhere to the standards set out in the ‘ Guidance for pharmacist prescribers ‘ in their prescribing practice and must:

• Take responsibility for prescribing safely;
• Keep up to date and prescribe within their competence;
• Work in partnership with other healthcare professionals;
• Factor in considerations and clinical judgement to prescribing approach;
• Know when and how to raise concerns ​[9]​ .

Newly qualified PIPs should also adhere to all other relevant standards and guidance that apply specifically to the organisation and the role. These may include guidance from the Care Quality Commission, the ‘Competency framework for all prescribers’ and the General Medical Council ​[6,17,18]​ . PIPs should also have a good foundational understanding of medicines-related legislation, such as the Medicines Act 1968 and Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 ​[19,20]​ .

6. Understand clinical governance arrangements in your organisation

Employers should have clear lines of responsibility and written procedures within the workplace. There should be clearly defined standard operating procedures (SOPs) for prescribing for non-medical prescribers ​[21]​ . For example, in community pharmacy, pharmacists are both prescribing and dispensing a patient’s medication. The SOP in this case should clearly state that a second suitably competent person, such as an accredited checking technician, is to be involved in the checking process.   Clinical governance arrangements in all organisations should allow PIPs to continually improve their prescribing skills. This can be done through regular clinical audits related to their prescribing decisions ​[22]​ . PIPs should also be encouraged to participate in audits of the communication pathways they use in order to ensure the correct prescribing-related patient information is included in a timely manner in patients’ medical notes, or when care is transferred to another prescriber (e.g. a GP) or different clinical setting (e.g. community pharmacist to GP).

7. Ensure you have appropriate support in place

Supervisors (such as senior PIPs or advanced clinical practitioners) within the organisation should be involved in setting up peer review, support and mentoring schemes. Peer reviews should be carried out within a structure agreed by your organisation and should concentrate on appropriate elements of practice that encourage positive reflection and discourage blame culture.

PIPs should also be aware of social and wellbeing support available to them within their professional group (such as Pharmacist Support ) and employing organisation. This is especially important in the early stages of prescriber accreditation.

8. Agree the scope of the pharmacist’s role

Moving from pharmacist to PIP means a change not just in mindset, but also in the expectations of patients, colleagues and the MDT. Although patients are generally positive about pharmacist prescribing and the role of the pharmacist prescriber in their care, there is a general lack of awareness of this role ​[23]​ . Being prepared to explain the role can help manage patient expectations.

A well-publicised conflict of expectations for PIPs working in a GP practice is the signing of repeat prescriptions that the GP has approved as part of the managed repeat prescribing service ​[24]​ . Although the signing of prescriptions in this instance could be perceived as an administrative task, the PIP signing the prescription is accountable for that prescription and would be liable for any prescribing errors that might occur. Working as an MDT can improve outcomes for patients and improve job satisfaction for healthcare professionals ​[25]​ . However, for these teams to work, the role and responsibility of each professional must be clear. There may be conflicts as other healthcare professionals roles change — for example, nurses, advanced clinical practitioners and physician associates are all starting to take greater responsibility for patient care. Having an agreed scope of practice document can help everyone to understand the PIP’s role.

• 1 Non-medical prescribing. British National Formulary. 2022. https://bnf.nice.org.uk/guidance/non-medical-prescribing.html#:~:text=information%20on%20prescribing.-,Pharmacists,4%2C%20and%205%20Controlled%20Drugs (accessed Apr 2022).
• 2 Wickware C. Pharmacist independent prescriber workforce has more than tripled since 2016. Pharmaceutical Journal. 2021. https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/pharmacist-independent-prescriber-workforce-has-more-than-tripled-since-2016#:~:text=Data%20obtained%20through%20a%20freedom,8%2C806%20on%201%20May%202020 (accessed Apr 2022).
• 3 Burns C. Independent prescribing pharmacists deliver 16,000 consultations since 2016. Pharmaceutical Journal. 2021. https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/independent-prescribing-pharmacists-deliver-16000-consultations-since-2016 (accessed Apr 2022).
• 4 Standards for Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists. General Pharmaceutical Council. 2021. https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/education-standards (accessed Apr 2022).
• 5 Wickware C. Extra £3m for pharmacy training in 2022/2023 to boost independent prescriber workforce. Pharmaceutical Journal. 2021. https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/extra-3m-for-pharmacy-training-in-2022-2023-to-boost-independent-prescriber-workforce (accessed Apr 2022).
• 6 A Competency Framework for all Prescribers. Royal Pharmaceutical Society. 2020. https://www.rpharms.com/Portals/0/RPS%20document%20library/Open%20access/Professional%20standards/Prescribing%20competency%20framework/prescribing-competency-framework.pdf (accessed Apr 2022).
• 7 The trials and triumphs of pharmacist independent prescribers. Pharmaceutical Journal. 2018. doi: 10.1211/pj.2018.20204489
• 8 Song JX, Yue F, Zhou HX, et al. Independent pharmacist prescribers can improve patient pharmacy care. Eur J Hosp Pharm. 2020; 29 :120–120. doi: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2020-002302
• 9 In practice: Guidance for pharmacist prescribers. General Pharmaceutical Council. 2020. www.pharmacyregulation.org/sites/default/files/document/in-practice-guidance-for-pharmacist-prescribers-february-2020.pdf (accessed Apr 2022).
• 10 Rosenthal M, Austin Z, Tsuyuki RT. Are Pharmacists the Ultimate Barrier to Pharmacy Practice Change? Can Pharm J. 2010; 143 :37–42. doi: 10.3821/1913-701x-143.1.37
• 11 Non-medical prescribing. British National Formulary. 2022. https://bnf.nice.org.uk/guidance/non-medical-prescribing.html (accessed Apr 2022).
• 12 Rutter PM, Harrison T. Differential diagnosis in pharmacy practice: Time to adopt clinical reasoning and decision making. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. 2020; 16 :1483–6. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.02.020
• 13 How to use clinical reasoning in pharmacy. Pharmaceutical Journal. 2022. doi: 10.1211/pj.2022.1.124225
• 14 Wall T, Kosior K, Ferrero S. The role of metacognition in teaching clinical reasoning: Theory to practice. Educ Health Prof. 2019; 2 :108. doi: 10.4103/ehp.ehp_14_19
• 15 Scott IA. Errors in clinical reasoning: causes and remedial strategies. BMJ. 2009; 338 :b1860–b1860. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b1860
• 16 CASP checklists. CASP. 2021. https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/ (accessed Apr 2022).
• 17 GP mythbuster 95: non-medical prescribing. Care Quality Commission. 2022. https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/gps/gp-mythbuster-95-non-medical-prescribing (accessed Apr 2022).
• 18 Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices. General Medical Council. 2021. https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/good-practice-in-prescribing-and-managing-medicines-and-devices (accessed Apr 2022).
• 19 Medicines Act 1968. UK Government. 2022. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/67/contents (accessed Apr 2022).
• 20 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. UK Government. 2022. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/38/contents (accessed Apr 2022).
• 21 Non-Medical Prescribing within Planned Care Community Mental Health Teams. Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. 2019. https://www.bcpft.nhs.uk/about-us/our-policies-and-procedures/n/2179-non-medical-prescribing-sop-03-within-planned-care-community-mental-health-teams/file (accessed Apr 2022).
• 22 Ashmore S, Chanter C, Johnson T. A guide to clinical audit — Appendix 7. Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee. 2008. https://psnc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/a_guide_to_clinical_audit.pdf (accessed Apr 2022).
• 23 McCann LM, Haughey SL, Parsons C, et al. A patient perspective of pharmacist prescribing: ‘crossing the specialisms-crossing the illnesses’. Health Expect. 2012; 18 :58–68. doi: 10.1111/hex.12008
• 24 Webb A. Surgery Repeat Prescription Programme. Pharmacist Defence Association. 2016. https://www.the-pda.org/?policy-extension=policy-extension-6 (accessed Apr 2022).
• 25 Delivering integrated care: the role of the multidisciplinary team. Social Care Institute for Excellence. 2018. https://www.scie.org.uk/integrated-care/workforce/role-multidisciplinary-team (accessed Apr 2022).

Please leave a comment  Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

You might also be interested in…

NHS England to fund additional 3,000 independent prescriber places for 2024/2025

First 14 independent prescribing pathfinder sites have gone live, says NHS England

A prescribing service for England’s pharmacies: everything you need to know

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookies in your browser at any time.

• Skip to content
• Skip to menu

• Find a course

2024/25 entry

CPD Masters Certificate of Professional Development in Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists

Level 7 (postgraduate), 40 credits, course cost.

Send a message >

The overall aim of the programme is to develop the personal, professional, clinical and diagnostic skills required to deliver person-centred care as a pharmacist independent prescriber.

The course will provide the skills and knowledge required to ensure safe and effective practice as an independent prescriber. Successful completion of the course will demonstrate your competence to allow application for annotation on the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) registers as an independent prescriber.

Course content

Course under review

The module comprising the programme cover a range of topics related to practice as an independent prescribing pharmacist and aligns with the GPhC Standards for the education and training of pharmacist independent prescribers (January 2019).

The outline syllabus for the programme is as follows:

• The role of the pharmacist prescriber
• Legal and ethical responsibilities in prescribing
• Equality and diversity in prescribing
• Clinical history taking
• Individual patient variation
• The role of the patient and incorporating patient preferences in prescribing
• Evidence based medicine in clinical decision-making
• Evaluating risks and benefits in clinical decision-making
• Recognising limits of competence
• Patient activation
• Public health in prescribing
• Safeguarding vulnerable patients
• Competence and capacity
• Testing and investigations
• Interpreting and adjusting treatment plans
• Emerging technologies in prescribing
• Record keeping
• Managing influences on the prescribing
• Clinical governance and health economics in prescribing
• Dealing with concerns about own and others prescribing
• Accountability, liability and competence in prescribing
• Other relevant, emerging or pressing concerns relating to prescribing

Teaching and learning

Study days including assessment days (subject to change)

For September 2024, there will be two sets of study days running due to the maximum capacity permitted on the days. If offered a place on the programme, you will be offered a place on one of these sets of study days and should ensure that you are potentially able to attend either set of dates when you submit your application. Students will be required to attend their allocated dates and there will be no capacity to switch between these dates. There are a total of seven study days, four are face-to-face campus based study days and three are online. Study days - set 1

• Wednesday 4 September 2024
• Monday 4 November - Thursday 7 November 2024
• Monday 6 January 2025
• Tuesday 7 January 2025

Study days - set 2

• Thursday 5 September 2024
• Monday 18 November - Thursday 21 November 2024
• Wednesday 8 January 2025
• Thursday 9 January 2025

The following are requirements of the programme

• All study days must be attended
• The programme should normally be completed within 12 months of registration
• All assessment must be passed

Course structure

The programme comprises one 40 credit module (7208CPPHAR Independent prescribing for pharmacists). All assessments (see below) and a period of learning in practice (see below) have to be completed successfully in order to be awarded the Masters Certificate of Professional Development (MCPD).

The programme adopts a blended approach to learning with seven face-to-face campus-based study days and is structured so that students can implement and consolidate their learning in their day-to-day practice. The study days are supplemented by online content and self-directed study. In addition, 90 hours of supervised learning in practice with a designated prescribing practitioner (DPP) must be completed.

This programme covers a large amount of learning in a very short space of time. Students need to engage fully with the programme. Over the six months you are required to attend study days (see attendance below) and have enough time to complete self-directed learning, 90 hours of supervised learning in practice as well as assessment preparation.

The programme has two intakes per year in Spring/March and Autumn/September and runs as a standalone course, as well as an embedded option in our Clinical Pharmacy programmes:

• Clinical Pharmacy for Secondary and Tertiary Care
• Clinical Pharmacy for Primary Care and Community Pharmacy

Students will be assigned a named tutor at the beginning of your programme who will help to guide you with any queries that you have during the course and can give you formative feedback on assignments and e-portfolio entries. In addition, all students will be supported by a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP), who must be identified before applying for the programme.

Area of practice intended for prescribing training

It is essential that you take time to define your area of practice before applying for the programme. As your clinical experience is assessed in relation to your chosen area of practice during the application and selection process. You may find it helpful to discuss your plans with your line manager, service lead or DPP to ensure that you have a plan in mind and that you can demonstrate your experience in that area in the supplementary application from.

Learning in practice

The programme you to demonstrate how their learning is applied in the prescribing practice through ninety hours of supervised practice. Further, your DPP will assesses your competence to prescribe in a real-world setting at the end of this practice period practice in line with the RPS Prescribing Competency Framework. This forms part of the portfolio assessment, please see below.

A significant portion of the learning in this programme is undertaken via self-study of online content and discussion with tutors and your DPP. However, students are required to attend the university for seven study days. ALL study days must be attended in order to complete the programme and if absent from any of the study days, an alternate day, which may be some months later, must be attended to complete the course.

Please note that where a student cannot attend a study day, the issue must be identified in advance (wherever possible) so that an alternative study day can be offered. However, alternative study days may be some months later, with the following cohort, and this may delay your completion of the course.

If you are unsure if you can attend the study days before joining the programme, you should look to join a later cohort.

Indemnity Insurance

Pharmacists are generally advised to have professional indemnity insurance in their professional role. Pharmacists undertaking independent prescribing training are advised to check with their insurer that they are fully covered in this role as well as their future role as a qualified prescriber.

Entry requirements

How to apply.

To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.

Please complete the LJMU online application form and submit the supporting documents listed below. Please download and complete the documents before starting the online application. When completing the LJMU online application form, select:

• Level of entry: ‘Postgraduate Taught’
• Mode of study: ‘Continuing Professional Development’

You will find Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists via the ‘browse courses’ button or the search function at the top. Please ensure you select the correct course and entry date – March/Spring or September/Autumn. For Current/Previous Qualifications, you only need to include details of your pharmacy qualification and other university qualifications. Details of GCSEs, A-levels or International Baccalaureate are not required. A personal statement is required for both the online application and the supplementary application form; these can be identical. Your personal statements should reflect your suitability and aptitude for the programme.

For the application to be accepted by the online system, this section should be at least 3,000 characters long and include that you:

• Are a registered pharmacist with the GPhC or PSNI
• Have good standing with the GPhC and/or PSNI and any other healthcare regulator you are registered with
• Demonstrate you have relevant UK-based pharmacy experience
• Have identified an area of clinical practice in which to develop your prescribing skills
• Demonstrate that you understand, recognise and can articulate the skills and attributes required of a prescriber
• Demonstrate how you reflect on your own performance and take responsibility for own CPD
• Have a DPP who conforms to specified criteria and has agreed to supervise your learning in practice component of the programme
• Have appropriate indemnity insurance

Please take time to define your area of practice before applying. You may find it helpful to discuss your plans with your line manager, service lead or DPP to ensure you have a plan in mind and can demonstrate your experience in that area. Your area of clinical practice should be a clinical area narrow enough to make the workload manageable and where you have ready access to patients at a time that your DPP can provide supervision. Please upload the following documents to your online application within 24 hours of submission.

• Complete the Supplementary application form
• DPP admissions declaration . Details of the requirements for DPP Designated Prescribing Practitioner admissions guide 
• Professional reference template
• Purchase order if your employer is paying all/a proportion of your course fees
• Employer’s declaration to include confirmation of a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced criminal convictions check
• Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced criminal convictions check if self-employed
• Copies of three recent pieces of evidence supporting the written statements in Question 10 of the supplementary application form. You should select entries that reflect evidence of your recent UK practice.

You can email copies to the Programme Administrator: [email protected]. This could result in you being offered a place on the next intake due to demand. There are two cohorts – in spring (March) and autumn (September). The deadline for applications to the autumn 2024 cohort is 8 July 2024.

A balance of approaches to summative assessment is taken to ensure that the full breadth and depth of the student 's knowledge and skills are assessed, whilst maintaining relevance to the workplace. There are four summative assessments within the programme (see table below), which are normally completed within six months of their expected completion date. The period of supervised learning in practice, totalling 90 hours, should be completed within a single 6 month period.

Assessments within 7208CPPHAR Independent prescribing for pharmacists:

Assessments

Case series

Critical reflection

Portfolio (including learning in practice declaration)

As patient safety is always paramount throughout the programme, all summative assessments need to be passed and no compensation or condonation is allowed. Feedback and opportunities to identify and addresses errors throughout the programme to allow students to learn and train safely. However, students will not complete the programme if they are assessed as being a risk to patients and the public.

The programme was accredited by the GPhC in October 2023. Successful completion of the programme will result in the student being issued with a Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing, which entitles them to apply for annotation as an independent prescriber on the GPhC or PSNI register of Pharmacists.

Please note that that successful completion of an accredited course is not a guarantee of annotation or of future employment as a pharmacist independent prescriber.

The GPhC accreditation reports and the timescales for future accreditations can be viewed here.

The University may make changes to a programme of study or module where such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University.

Further guidance on programme changes.

Cookie Settings

Essential cookies cannot be turned off as they are key in helping you to navigate through our website and use its features.

These cookies collect information about your browsing habits in order to make advertising more relevant to you and your interests, and measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

These cookies capture anonymous data that helps us to understand how people are using our site, so that we can continually improve it.

These cookies allow the website to remember the choices you make and provide enhanced, more personal features.

Learn more about our cookies

Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing (PgCert)

• Duration: 24 weeks
• Mode: Part time

Find out more about studying here as a postgraduate at our next Open Day .

Why study this course

This postgraduate certificate in non-medical prescribing will provide you with the knowledge and skills to qualify as an independent prescriber.

Accredited programme

Our course is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and Health and Care Professions Council, the (HCPC).

Learning community

You will benefit from learning alongside a diverse group who are studying at various points in their career.

Student support

You will have academic support and be assigned a designated personal tutor throughout your studies with us.

High-quality teaching

You will be taught by experienced educational and clinical staff with considerable local, national and international reputations.

The programme will develop your ability to critically analyse and to hone your personal reflection skills, preparing you for lifelong professional development. It will provide the foundation for you to develop your practice, to enable you to provide a high professional standard of care, and be accountable for that care.

The programme will introduce you to the general principles of pharmacology relevant to prescribing practice, the professional, legal, and ethical frameworks relevant to Independent and Supplementary prescribing, and clinical governance / quality assurance aspects of prescribing.

These elements will be underpinned by evaluation of your own performance, and application of the prescribing principles to your own area of practice. It will also enable you to be aware of current developments within independent and supplementary prescribing in the UK. You will study in a multi-disciplinary setting along with a range of individuals from other professions including pharmacists, facilitating shared learning as recommended by the NMC/ HCPC.

Where you'll study

School of Healthcare Sciences

Our courses are designed to provide you with the knowledge and experience you need to embark on a professional healthcare career.

• Facilities Chevron right
• Research at the School of Healthcare Sciences Chevron right
• Academic staff Chevron right
• Telephone +44(0) 29 2068 7538
• Marker University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN

Admissions criteria

In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements and must comply with the Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)) specific requirements for prescribing. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.

With your online application you will need to provide:

• A copy of your professional registration number (NMC or HCPC) in order for us to confirm your current registration status.
• currently work in an area relevant to the programme
• have a minimum of one years’ full-time equivalent patient-orientated clinical experience
• are committed to Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Any evidence of previous study at Masters level.
• A copy of your certificate or transcript which shows you have undertaken a clinical assessment/diagnostics and evaluation module, or evidence that demonstrates you have developed these skills in clinical practice, such as a testimonial from a senior practitioner.
• A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
• Why have you selected this programme?
• What interests you about this programme?
• Any relevant experience related to the programme or module content.
• How you plan to use the qualification in your career.
• How you and your profession will benefit from your studies.
• Why you feel you should be given a place on the programme.

If you are self-funding your studies (if you work outside of a health board or an NHS Trust) you must also provide two additional references that specifically comment on your clinical and academic ability to undertake the programme.

Application Deadline

We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications normally close at the end of July but may close sooner if all places are filled. 

Selection process

Once you have submitted your application you will be sent a Learning Agreement and Statement of Support form, which you are required to complete and return to confirm you meet the criteria set out by the NMC and HCPC before we can consider your application. Once received, we will review your application and if you meet all of the entry requirements, including an assessment of suitability through the personal statement, we will make you an offer.

Additional information

You may apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) at level 6 or level 7 of up to 60 credits, of which only 30 credits can be at level 6. RPL is considered through mapping of learning outcomes of comparable modules. This complies with the NMC (2018) and HCPC (2019) prescribing standards.

If you intend to apply for recognition for prior learning, please supply copies of your credit transcripts with your application and provide further details in your personal statement.

Please contact the PGCert Independent Prescribing/ Supplementary Prescribing Programme Manager prior to applying to discuss RPL queries: [email protected]

Find out more about English language requirements .

Criminal convictions

A DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) certificate is required to undertake the following modules:

• HCT 356 Independent/Supplementary Prescribing (core)
• HCT 357 Independent/Supplementary Prescribing (core)

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

• access to computers or devices that can store images
• use of internet and communication tools/devices
• freedom of movement
• contact with people related to Cardiff University.

Course structure

The Postgraduate Certificate in Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing consists of 2 core modules (30 credits each).

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2024/25 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2024.

You will undertake both modules in year one.

Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing.

You will need to complete a minimum of 12 days (78 hours) of learning in practice in order to develop clinical assessment and prescribing skills, supported by a designated Practice Supervisor (PS). This is a PSRB requirement.

The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.

Learning and assessment

How will i be taught.

In line with Cardiff University’s Digital Learning Strategy, the programme will be delivered using a blended learning approach. The programme will aim to provide a rich and engaging online experience, including a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities alongside traditional face to face teaching and learning.

We will employ a range of learning and teaching approaches, from group and individual tutorials to student led seminars, dialogue, appreciative enquiry and problem- based learning, skills workshops, self-directed study, critical discussion /debate and expert led lectures. We employ e-learning via Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) that are specifically developed for Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing programmes.

Our programme and modules will facilitate effective inter-professional learning across a wide range of professions, and the sharing of differing professional perspectives and expertise. This experience will enhance your learning and development, and enable you to widen your professional network.

We appreciate that as registered practitioners, you will enter the programme with a wide range of skills, and some of you may hold advanced practitioner roles. Your clinical and experiential experiences are highly valued and will be used to enhance the learning process in terms of independent and shared learning.

We will encourage you to take an adult approach to learning at postgraduate degree level, which involves you taking responsibility for your own learning. We aim to prepare you for professional Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing practice.

How will I be assessed?

To meet professional and statutory regulatory body requirements, you will be assessed via the following methods:

Electronic Prescribing Portfolio:

Therapeutic Framework written Assignment,

Numeracy Test: (30 minutes)

Clinical logs reflective assignment:

Structured Clinical Assessment (SCA):

Therapeutics Class test (60 minutes):

How will I be supported?

To meet professional and statutory regulatory requirements (NMC and HCPC), a number of levels of support are offered:

Personal Tutor : You will be allocated a Personal tutor at the beginning of the programme who will provide educational and pastoral support and will:

•        Maintain regular contact throughout the programme;

•        Advise on the academic standards;

•        Provide support and guidance with respect to learning;

•        Provide feedback of progress and constructive comment on any aspects of learning which will

          require further development;

•        Be available for personal advice and support.

Academic Assessor : You will be allocated an Academic Assessor from the programme team for the duration of their programme; in addition to the Personal Tutor who will provide educational and pastoral support. The programme manager is responsible for ensuring that the allocation and monitoring of academic assessors is compliant the NMC standards for supervision and assessment of students, and that academic assessors are prepared for the role, as per faculty standards.

Responsibilities:

• academic assessors collate and confirm student achievement of proficiencies and programme outcomes in the academic environment for each part of the programme.
• academic assessors make and record objective, evidence based decisions on conduct, proficiency and achievement, and recommendations for progression, drawing on student records and other resources.
• academic assessors maintain current knowledge and expertise relevant for the proficiencies and programme outcomes they are assessing and confirming.
• the nominated academic assessor works in partnership with a nominated practice assessor to evaluate and recommend the student for progression, in line with programme standards and local and national policies.
• academic assessors have an understanding of the student’s learning and achievement in practice.

Strategy to Support Student Learning and Development as Prescribers

It is expected by the NMC/HCPC and University that regular meetings between you and your DPP should take place to enable a valid and constructive review of your progress and agreement about any further learning experiences which are required. The Practice Assessor (PA) should also meet with you to inform assessment of the your competence. Such meetings will involve direct observation of the your practice to enable a valid assessment of competence.

Meetings also need to take place between the PA and Practice Supervisor (PS) to inform the PA’s understanding of your learning and development in practice. The PA and academic assessor are also required to meet to explore the your progress with practice and academic learning to enable a constructive assessment of the your development of appropriate proficiencies and to allow the Academic Assessor to collate student outcomes from all elements of the programme.

The programme offers you the opportunity to develop and share ideas with health professionals, enabling you to learn and benefit from the experiences of others. Opportunity is given for discussion and exchange of ideas through seminars and tutorials.

We offer you the opportunity to become a student representative and shape future educational provision and advise on key elements of your learning.

All modules within the programme make extensive use of Cardiff University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Learning Central, on which you will find course materials, links to related materials and assessment exemplars. All lectures are recorded via electronic platforms, and are available for you to view throughout your programme.

The University offers a wide range of services and activities designed to support you. These include a student counselling service, a student advisory service, day care facilities, sport and exercise facilities, as well as campus information, library and IT services.

Further information about what the University can offer you can be found in the following link:

Student life - Study - Cardiff University

Our student app also allows you to access Cardiff University services and personalised information in one place in a simple and convenient way from a smartphone via the app store. 

Features include:

• Campus maps
• Student library renewals, payments and available items
• Student timetable
• Find an available PC
• Access to help and student support
• Student news
• Receive important notifications
• Links to launch other University apps such as Outlook (for email) and Blackboard (for Learning Central).

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you. 

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme can be found below:

Knowledge & Understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:

• Critically evaluate drug actions and sources of evidence-based information, advice and decision support in prescribing practice.
• Critically explore current available clinical, pharmacological and pharmaceutical knowledge relevant to your own area of practice.
•    Demonstrate a critical evaluation of legal, ethical, professional and governance issues in their prescribing role.

Intellectual Skills:

• Demonstrate the appropriate application of a critical knowledge of drug actions in prescribing practice and the effective use of evidence-based decision support tools.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding and application of legislation relevant to the practice of non-medical prescribing.
• Demonstrate a critical and independent reflective approach to practice, analysing situations resulting in a coherent and sustained argument to enable service and practice improvement and professional development.

Professional Practical Skills:

• Critically evaluate approaches to the systematic and holistic assessment of patient need and the interpretation of diagnostic indicators to achieve a differential diagnosis.
• Demonstrate a strategic approach to effective collaboration with the multidisciplinary team involved in prescribing, supplying and administration of medicines.
• Demonstrate the critical application of effective strategies in negotiation and shared decision-making with patients and carers.
• Demonstrate a strategic application in practice of the framework of professional accountability and clinical governance in non-medical prescribing.
• Effectively employ appropriate communication/ education strategies to communicate and disseminate knowledge to the patient, families and client groups.

Transferable/Key Skills:

• Engage with information systems in order to analyse and interpret data to inform prescribing practice.
• Integrate theory with professional practice.
• Synthesise information/ data from a variety of sources.
• Critically appraise, synthesise and evaluate the evidence base related to Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing.
• Take responsibility for your individual personal and professional learning and development.
• Independent project manage and demonstrate time management skills.
• Work independently.
• Problem solve and reach realistic conclusions/ recommendations.
• Communicate ideas in a clear concise manner.
• Demonstrate digital literacy.

Tuition fees for 2024 entry

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.

Learn how we decide your fee status

Fees for home status

Fees will be invoiced by module. Normally, invoices will be released shortly after enrolment for each individual module. For more information please refer to our tuition fees pages .

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2024/25 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees .

Fees for island status

Learn more about the postgraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man .

Fees for overseas status

This course does not currently accept students from outside the UK/EU.

Additional costs

Cost of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate.

Will I need any specific equipment to study this course/programme?

We will provide any equipment required.

Living costs

We’re based in one of the UK’s most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff .

Postgraduate loans

If you are starting your master’s degree in September 2024 or later, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study at Cardiff University.

Careers and placements

The non-medical prescribing pathway will provide you with a qualification that enable you to build on your existing role; improving the patient experience and reducing waiting times.

This programme will help you develop your career by undertaking more advanced roles with greater responsibilities for managing patient care.

The PgCert is also available as a pathway through the MSc in Advanced Practice; a programme designed for health, social care and related professionals in primary, secondary and tertiary settings who wish to advance their knowledge base, clinical, leadership and management skills. Students, irrespective of their clinical specialty, will become actively involved in the advancement of practice.

You will need to be employed and practising within a clinical environment within the United Kingdom to undertake this programme. You will be required to evidence clinical hours within your own clinical environment for the following modules:

• Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing modules require 78 hours associated practice within your prescribing area (core).

Open Day visits

Make an enquiry, international, other course options, independent/ supplementary prescribing (pg cert), discover more.

Search for your courses

Related searches: Healthcare , Nursing and midwifery , Healthcare sciences

HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.

Module information

Postgraduate

Be part of a thriving postgraduate community in a university known internationally for outstanding research and teaching.

Postgraduate prospectus 2024

Download a copy of our prospectus, school and subject brochures, and other guides.

Order or download

Get in touch if you have a question about studying with us.

Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists

Our GPhC accredited independent prescribing course will prepare you to prescribe for patients safely in your scope of practice as a non-medical independent prescriber.

The Advanced Certificate in Independent Prescribing is designed for registered GPhC pharmacists who wish to train and qualify as non-medical independent prescribers.

You’ll learn alongside other pharmacists on the course and be taught by practitioners who are experts in their field as well as academic staff who will deliver specialist training.

You’ll interact with patients in your practice setting enabling you to apply your knowledge and develop your clinical skills.

You will also develop your independence and confidence as the course increases in complexity and prepares you to become a safe prescriber.

Why study with us

• Benefit from our course designed for Pharmacists led by practising pharmacists and by a GP practising specialist.
• You will gain an introduction to undertaking several clinical examinations for example cardiovascular examination, abdominal examination and manual blood pressure.
• Learn in our pharmacy practice suite, with flexible teaching spaces and clinical skills areas allowing all necessary diagnostic, physical and clinical examination skills to be delivered.

Course overview

The course content and learning outcomes are guided by the pharmacy regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The course is appropriately taught and assessed through a blend of learning styles including eight face-to-face sessions and one remote instructional delivery session, practice-based activities and a large element of distance learning. Our face-to-face sessions are delivered by practitioners who are experts in their field as well as academic staff who will deliver specialist training.

All study days must be attended and confirmation that you are able to attend is required prior to course starting. You will be required to undertake the equivalent of 26 days learning in addition to a minimum of 90 hours patient contact overseen by your designated prescribing practitioner in practice.

The course will broadly cover the following main themes:

• Consultation, decision making, assessment and review
• Influences on and psychology of prescribing
• Prescribing in a team context
• Applying knowledge of therapeutics into a prescribing context
• Evidence based practice and clinical governance
• Legal, policy, professional and ethical aspects of prescribing
• Prescribing in the public health context
• Clinical examinations to aid in diagnosing and prescribing

The course is at master’s level 7 and you will be assessed by compiling a portfolio of evidence and an OSCE to test your clinical skill competencies. Passing of all required assessments will enable you to apply for annotation as a prescriber with the GPhC.

Please note: Successful completion of an accredited course is not a guarantee of annotation or of future employment as an independent prescriber.

While we understand that there may be times where you may need to interrupt studies please note there is a requirement to have completed the course within two years of start date.

Gallery 01 / 03

• Go to slide 1 (Current slide)
• Go to slide 2
• Go to slide 3

Entry requirements

• Have a pharmacy degree and be currently registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• To be in good standing with the regulator and to have an enhanced DBS disclosure within three years of the course start date.
• Be working in, or able to access a practice environment that will enable you to meet and achieve the course learning outcomes.
• A minimum level of English language proficiency equal to IELTS 7.0 or equivalent.
• Be able to identify the area of clinical or therapeutic practice in which you intend to develop your prescribing practice.
• Be able to demonstrate to the course team that you have sufficient relevant clinical and therapeutic experience in your chosen area which is suitable to act as a foundation whilst training (through application form and interview).
• Have a minimum of two years post registration patient facing experience. Please note: Although the GPhC has changed the two-year post -registration requirement, this course has not yet been authorised by the GPhC for this change, therefore we still require two years post registration experience for you to apply
• Be able to identify and nominate a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) who can supervise and support your learning in practice. There should be no conflict of interest between you and your DPP. Your DPP must be suitably experienced to perform this role. They should have continuous professional development or revalidation relevant to this role committed to supporting your development. For further information on the eligibility of the DPP role please refer to the RPS DPP competency framework . There are also resources supporting DPPs in their role.
• Please note that DPPs must not receive any payment for supervising your practice.

Fees and funding

Additional costs.

As part of your course there may be additional costs to consider that are not included in your tuition fees. Most of these will be optional, but some courses have essential additional costs. Find out more about additional costs .

View the course facilities

Learning environment and assessment

• Taught in dedicated clinical skills suites
• Multi-professionally taught
• Emphasis on professional development reflected in portfolio building as a major assessment mechanism
• OSCE support

You will be assessed by compiling a portfolio of evidence and an OSCE to test your clinical skill competencies.

Enquiries and applications

Please register via our online application system then search and select Advanced Certificate in Independent Prescribing.

As well as completing the online application form you'll need to send us:

• V300 application form for non-medical prescribing courses
• Evidence of your qualification (copy of MPharm degree certificate or equivalent)
• Evidence of CPD in your chosen area of prescribing practice
• Appropriate relevant references (please see guidance below)

These should be submitted via email to our Pharmacy CPD Team . Please also email us if you have any queries.

Guidance for referees

In order to select those students who will benefit from their chosen programme of study, we require a supporting statement from a referee. The reference should include the following:

• Name of applicant
• Your post/occupation
• Your relationship to the applicant
• Your contact details
• If you are happy for the reference to be discussed with the applicant (yes/no)
• If you are happy for the reference to be revealed to the applicant (yes/no)

Your reference about the applicant should, if possible, cover the following:

• Suitability for the course/research course
• Intellectual qualities including previous academic performance and any relevant subject experience through work or study
• Personal characteristics including evidence of ability to sustain study at level of their chosen course/research course
• Career aspirations
• How long have you known the applicant

Please send your reference via email to the CPD Team . Please email us if you have any questions.

Compulsory modules

These modules are set and you have to study these as part of your course.

Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing

The module prepares you as a pharmacist to practice as Independent Prescribers according to standards as stipulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The module will develop your knowledge in consultation, decision making, assessment and review and explore problems and issues in the context of prescribing.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

This course is based in the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page

For students

• Current Students website
• Email web access
• Make a payment
• iExeter (students)
• Programme and module information
• Current staff website
• Room Bookings
• iExeter (staff)
• Finance Helpdesk
• IT Service Desk

Popular links

Accommodation

• Job vacancies
• Temporary workers
• Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme

New and returning students

• New students website
• Returning Students Guide

Wellbeing, Inclusion and Culture

• Wellbeing services for students
• Wellbeing services for staff
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East

Postgraduate Taught

Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing

• Postgraduate Taught home
• Healthcare and Medicine

• Designed to help you achieve accreditation for annotation as an Independent or Supplementary Prescriber on the GPhC, NMC or HCPC registers*

• Blend of online learning supported by minimal face-to-face contact days with communication and clinical skills training within our Clinical Skills Resource Centre • Problem Based Learning (PBL) scenarios allow students to tailor their learning to their own needs and develop personal learning objectives. • Expert tutors and guest lecturers will be invited from a range of clinical and research backgrounds • Can be taken as a standalone module or the credit can be used towards the MSc Clinical Pharmacy programme, MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme or the Advanced Clinical Practice Degree Apprenticeship

• Acquiring this qualification and Independent or Supplementary prescriber status will enable you to seek extended roles in clinical practice as a non-medical prescribing practitioner * Successful completion of an accredited Independent and Supplementary Prescribing course is not a guarantee of annotation on the GPhC, NMC or HCPC registers or of future employment as an Independent or Supplementary Prescriber

View 2024 Entry

Apply for Sept 2024 entry

Fast Track (current Exeter students)

Open days and visiting us

Get a prospectus

Programme Directors:  Will Farmer and Dr Rob Daniels

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

The programme is supported by NHS England and Health Education England through the Pharmacy Integration Fund.

Top 10 in the UK for our world-leading and internationally excellent Clinical Medicine research

Based on 4* + 3* research in REF 2021

Our Public Health research is 11th in the UK for Research Power

Submitted to UoA2 Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care. REF 2021

Major capital investment in new buildings and state-of-the-art facilities

Accreditations

This course was accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council in December 2018. Please see the  GPhC accreditation reports  for more information. It was also accredited by  The Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC)  and  Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)  in March 2021.

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum 2.2 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.  A personal statement, detailing your reasons for seeking to undertake this subject, will be required. 

Entry requirements vary by regulator. Please check you meet the specific requirements below:

GPhC/PSNI registered pharmacist with at least two years of appropriate patient-orientated experience in a UK hospital, community or primary care setting following qualification

Registered nurse (level 1), midwife or SCPHN with at least one years’ appropriate patient-orientated experience in a UK hospital, community or primary care setting following qualification

HCPC registered physiotherapist, therapeutic/diagnostic radiographer, podiatrist or dietitian, with at least three years post-qualification experience in the area in which you will be prescribing

HCPC (Paramedics)

Registered paramedic with at least five years since qualification, practising in your area of expertise for at least 12 months

Have completed post-qualification study at level 7 (Master’s level)

All applicants must: • Have the agreement of a designated prescribing practitioner (DPP), practice assessor (PA) or Practice Educator (PE) who is willing to supervise your training • Demonstrate experience and reflective professional practice • Have identified an intended area of prescribing practice • Have support from a line manager, employer or service commissioner • Be fit to practice in accordance with the requirements of your regulator

Please visit our  international equivalency pages  to enable you to see if your existing academic qualifications meet our entry requirements.

Application process

Please complete the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Course Application form and the IP SP Educational Audit Tool form   before applying online.

Applicants may be invited to undertake an informal interview as part of the application process. This will take the form of an individual meeting/telephone conversation with one of our academics.

How employers can support

Ensure your staff are prepared for future prescribing roles. To undertake this programme, applicants must have support from a line manager, employer or service provider.

Undertaking the Clinical Pharmacy or Advanced Clinical Practice Programmes?

If you are already on the MSc Clinical Pharmacy or Advanced Clinical Practice programmes and want to do Independent or Supplementary Prescribing as part of this, you will not need to apply to Independent Prescribing through the online application process. Instead, please complete the ‌ Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Course Application form (ACP)

If you are applying for the MSc Clinical Pharmacy or Advanced Clinical Practice programmes and wish to take the Independent or Supplementary prescribing course as part of this, you will need to need to apply for both the MSc programme and the prescribing course at the same time.

If you are an Advanced Clinical Practice degree apprenticeship applicant and intend to choose prescribing as your year two option, you will need to complete an application form for this module in addition to your apprenticeship application. The appropriate forms will be provided as part of the DA application process

Entry requirements for international students

Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements .

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2 . Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Course content

This Independent and Supplementary Prescribing course is designed to help you achieve accreditation for annotation as an Independent or Supplementary Prescriber on the GPhC, NMC or HCPC registers. We aim to produce competent non-medical prescribers who can provide safe, effective and evidence-based prescribing to address the needs of patients in their area of practice.

Features include:

• Online learning supported by face-to-face contact days
• Problem Based Learning  -  patient case-based activities that reflect the challenges of current clinical practice
• Communication and clinical skills training within our Clinical Skills Resource Centre
• Supportive, enthusiastic and clinically active tutors
• Increase your professional expertise and status and enhance your career prospects
• Complete the course to obtain a Practice Certificate in Independent/Supplementary Prescribing (as appropriate to your profession)
• Can be taken as a standalone module or the credit can be used towards the MSc Clinical Pharmacy programme, MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme or the Advanced Clinical Practice Degree Apprenticeship

Our Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing is a six month part-time 45 Credit programme of study at National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 7. It is taught using a blended approach to learning incorporating taught sessions, clinical skills practice and case-based discussion along with the support of online resources and moderated activities on the University of Exeter’s electronic learning platforms. Expert tutors and guest lecturers will be invited from a range of clinical and research backgrounds. Credits gained on this programme can be used towards the MSc Clinical Pharmacy programme, MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme or the Advanced Clinical Practice Degree Apprenticeship

Contact Days‌

View the timetable of contact days for Independent Prescribing 2023/24

Please note: this timetable is draft and may be subject to change.

The last contact day and assessment deadline for the programme will be earlier than the actual end date of your registration with the University, to allow a period of time at the end of your active studies for further support and mitigation, if needed‌

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Supervised practice

The GPhC, NMC and HCPC all require that a trainee non-medical prescriber be supported and supervised by a prescribing practitioner who meets a series of experiential requirements. The different accrediting bodies give this role different titles: • GPhC - Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) • NMC - Practice Assessor (PA) • HCPC - Practice Educator (PE).

The NMC require a trainee to have both a Practice Assessor and a Practice Supervisor. Practice Assessors assess and confirm the student’s achievement of practice learning for a placement; they will also work with the nominated academic assessor to make a recommendation for student progression. The Practice Supervisors’ role is to support and supervise nursing and midwifery students in the practice learning environment. All students must be supervised while learning in practice environments.

For the purposes of clarity, we will refer to the Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) for all roles.

The aim of the DPP role is ‘to oversee, support and assess the competence of non-medical prescribing trainees, in collaboration with academic and workplace partners, during the period of learning in practice’ (RPS, 2019). A DPP directs and supervises the trainee’s period of learning in practice – a required element of independent prescribing qualifications. They will also be responsible for assessing whether the learning outcomes have been met and whether the trainee has acquired certain competencies.

Our trainee non-medical prescribers are required to complete 12 days or 90 hours in clinical practice. This time must be planned and aligned to the trainee’s learning needs and consist of activities relevant to the development of the trainee as an autonomous practitioner. The trainee will keep detailed logs of their activities and the DPP will need to provide supervision, feedback and oversight. The Designated Prescribing Practitioner has to assess the achievement of the learning outcomes and provide confirmation by signing the student’s practice-based log. At the end of the 90 hours in practice, the DPP is required to make a declaration that the trainee is suitable for annotation as an independent or supplementary prescriber (as appropriate to your profession).

Choosing your DPP

Your DPP must meet the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s  Competency framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioners (2019) . This allows for the supervision of trainee prescribers in practice by non-medical assessors as described below.

The DPP must: • Be a registered healthcare professional in Great Britain or Northern Ireland and in good standing with their professional regulator • Be registered with their regulator as a legally independent prescriber for at least the last three years, with no significant gaps in practice which would affect this three-year requirement.

Have at least three years’ active and recent prescribing practice, patient-facing clinical and diagnostic skill within the student’s chosen therapeutic area/scope of practice, with no significant gaps in practice which would affect this three-year requirement.

• Have the support of the employing organisation(s) or learning in practice setting(s) to act as a DPP who will provide supervision, support and opportunities to develop competence in prescribing practice for the pharmacist prescriber in training.

• Have experience of teaching, supervising and assessing other health care professionals in clinical practice.

• Have adequate indemnity insurance in place for their own professional and supervisory role as a DPP and ensure that all learning in practice settings have adequate indemnity insurance in place. Further requirements for this role can be found in section 7 of the Independent Prescribing Course Application Form Finally, your DPP must be able to personally commit to the time required to provide supervised practice which must be no less than 45 hours or 50% of your time in practice.

You will need to have agreed who will be your DPP before applying for this course. Your DPP must complete and sign Section 7 of the I IP/SP Course Application Form 2022-23 before you submit your application.

Practice Placement Quality Assurance

All applicants must ensure that the University of Exeter IP SP Educational Audit Tool has been completed within the last 12 months for the organisation providing their supervised practice placement. The audit should be completed by the education lead, prescribing lead or a senior manager for the organisation, in consultation with IP/SP module leads at the university. This audit is an essential part of our processes to quality assure your practice-based learning.

A copy of the completed audit tool must be submitted with your application, if we do not already hold one for your organisation. Your NMP or Prescribing Lead will be able to advise you if this is the case. Your application cannot be approved without a current copy of the audit tool. 

2023/24 entry

• UK fees:   £2,300
• International fees:   £2,300

Fees can normally be paid by two termly instalments and may be paid online. You will also be required to pay a  tuition fee deposit  to secure your offer of a place, unless you qualify for exemption. For further information about paying fees see our    Student Fees  pages.

Scholarships

For more information on scholarships, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

*Selected programmes only. Please see the Terms and Conditions for each scheme for further details.

Find out more about tuition fees and funding »

Funding and scholarships

Uk government postgraduate loan scheme.

Postgraduate loans of up to £12,167 are now available for Masters degrees.   Find out more about eligibility and how to apply .

There are various funding opportunities available including Global excellence scholarships. For more information   visit our  Masters funding page .

Scholarships 

The University of Exeter is offering scholarships to the value of over £4 million for students starting with us in September 2021. Details of scholarships, including our  Global Excellence scholarships  for international fee paying students, can be found on our  dedicated funding page .

University of Exeter Class of 2022 Progression Scholarship

We are pleased to offer graduating University of Exeter students completing their degree in Summer 2022 and progressing direct to a standalone taught Masters degree (eg MA; MSc; MRes; MFA) or research degree (eg MPhil/PhD) with us a scholarship towards the cost of their tuition fees. These awards are worth 10% of the first year tuition fee for students enrolling on a postgraduate taught or research programme of study in 2022/23, with the exception of the PGCE programme. 

Teaching and research

Our purpose is to deliver transformative education that will help tackle health challenges of national and global importance.

Workshop days:

• Interactive patient-case discussions to develop your clinical reasoning
• Small group discussions to develop your future prescribing role
• Practical communication skills sessions
• Clinical examination training in specialist facilities
• Opportunities to reflect on your Supervised practice
• Academic tutor sessions to support your progress

E-learning material:

This comprises 3 units:

• Unit 1 - Prescribing Governance
• Unit 2 - Clinical skills for Prescribing
• Unit 3 - Prescribing Partnerships

Students also have access to extensive on-line resources used on our other clinical courses and University library facilities.

Learning is backed up with individual tutor support and peer group discussions.

Multi-modal Assessment

• Assessments are varied and reflect the responsibilities of the prescribing role
• Assessments include a clinical interest essay, MCQ test, observations of your clinical skills through OSCEs and submission of your Portfolio of Practice

You will already be a registered health professional in employment in a UK healthcare setting. Acquiring this qualification and Independent/Supplementary prescriber status will enable you to seek extended roles in clinical practice as an autonomous prescribing practitioner. In addition, the ability to tailor some of the assessments to an area of practice will enable you to further your clinical interests.

Careers support

All University of Exeter students have access to  Career Zone, which gives access to a wealth of business contacts, support and training as well as the opportunity to meet potential employers at our regular Careers Fairs.

Related courses

Clinical pharmacy msc.

St Luke's Campus

Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Master of public health (mph), environment and human health msc.

Penryn Campus

Healthcare Leadership and Management MSc

Clinical education msc.

View all Healthcare and Medicine courses

Why Exeter?

Student life

Our campuses

International students

Apply for a Masters

Immigration and visas

Tuition fees and funding

Connect with us

Information for:

• Current students
• New students
• Alumni and supporters

Quick links

Streatham Campus

Truro Campus

• Using our site
• Accessibility
• Freedom of Information
• Modern Slavery Act Statement
• Data Protection
• Copyright & disclaimer
• Privacy & cookies

Streatham Campus in Exeter

The majority of students are based at our Streatham Campus in Exeter. The campus is one of the most beautiful in the country and offers a unique environment in which to study, with lakes, parkland, woodland and gardens as well as modern and historical buildings.

Find out more about Streatham Campus.

St Luke's Campus in Exeter

Located on the eastern edge of the city centre, St Luke's is home to Sport and Health Sciences, the Medical School, the Academy of Nursing, the Department of Allied Health Professions, and PGCE students.

Find out more about St Luke's Campus.

Penryn Campus near Falmouth, Cornwall

Our Penryn Campus is located near Falmouth in Cornwall. It is consistently ranked highly for satisfaction: students report having a highly personal experience that is intellectually stretching but great fun, providing plenty of opportunities to quickly get to know everyone.

Find out more about Penryn Campus.

Module details

NHS priorities

Whether it’s to prepare for the next Pharmacy Quality Scheme deadline, or to increase your confidence in helping people with a learning disability, this section provides topic-specific pages that link to current NHS priorities. This section will support you in keeping your knowledge and skills up to date in order to provide high-quality pharmacy services and be service-ready.

Clinical pharmacy

Our clinical portfolio is expanding on a frequent basis, helping you to advance your knowledge and skills and deliver medicines optimisation in practice for all sectors of pharmacy. From two new focal points a year to our small group learning for hospital pharmacists – Optimise – this section focuses on clinical pharmacy, diseases and therapeutics.

Public health

The public health agenda is embedded in pharmacy, yet topics such as emergency contraception or stop smoking support are as prevalent as ever. As well as our public health workshops, use this section to access a wide range of resources to assure and maintain your competence, all underpinned by the Declaration of Competence system.

• Developing your career

Preparing to train as an independent prescriber

Who is this course for?

Preparing to train as an independent prescriber is open to pharmacists from all sectors of practice, including community pharmacists who are planning to commence their independent prescriber training with a Higher Education Institute (HEI). If you are a newly qualified pharmacist, see further information below under the ‘Who can apply?’ tab. 

This is a fully funded course that helps pharmacists develop the skills and confidence to get ready and best prepare for independent prescriber training.

If you still have questions after checking the programme information below, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions document .

Course aims

The aim of this e-course is to build the confidence and competence of pharmacists who are planning to apply and train as independent prescribers.

Course format

The course is made up of three main components:

• A self-directed e-course and self-assessment framework.
• A mandatory online workshop to support you to review your self-assessment of competencies and develop a personal development plan (PDP).
• An optional online workshop to support your readiness for academic writing and reflective practice.

Course dates

You will need to pick one of the mandatory online workshops to attend at a date and time that works for you. will trigger your e-course booking.  To activate your e-course booking you need to go to your Learning record and click "Course access information".

Learning outcomes

Once you have identified your own personal learning needs by completing the self-assessment framework, the different topic areas in this programme will support you to:

• describe how your knowledge, skills and experience have evolved since your initial training as a pharmacist?
• recognise your strengths and transferable skills which you can build on that are relevant to your independent prescribing training
• identify your learning needs, and the resources and learning opportunities to enable you to meet them
• develop your skills as a reflective practitioner and apply these to your practice
• build a powerful personal and professional support network to support you during your independent prescribing training and ongoing prescribing practice
• create a personal development plan for your short, medium and longer-term development needs to prepare for undertaking an independent prescribing course.

Who can apply?

Pharmacists who are planning to apply and/or start their independent prescriber training can apply to take part.

Further information for newly qualified pharmacists

We would recommend that you enrol on the CPPE  Newly qualified pharmacist programme   as   the first step in your post-registration professional development journey if you meet the   eligibility criteria .  

The  Preparing to train as an independent prescriber  programme is included as one of the modules of the  Newly qualified pharmacist programme . While completing the  Newly qualified pharmacist programme , you would agree the optimal time to book onto the  Preparing to train as an independent prescriber  module with your education supervisor. 

Newly qualified pharmacists who are not eligible for the CPPE  Newly qualified pharmacist programme  can access the  NHS  England Newly Qualified Pharmacist pathway  and could complete the  Preparing to train as an independent prescriber  programme as a stand-alone course.

Pharmacists on the Primary care pharmacy education pathway (PCPEP) are not able to book this learning, since the pathway prepares pharmacists to train as an independent prescriber.

Learning pathways 

• Providing pharmacy services
• Enhancing your skills
• Clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
• Supporting educators and trainers
• Supporting you

Quick links 

• Access Optimise
• Book a workshop
• CPPE viewer
• Declaration of Competence
• Return to practice
• All future workshops
• Charges and fees
• Open Programmes

Useful links 

• General Pharmaceutical Council
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK
• Pharmacist Support
• The University of Manchester
• Clinical Pharmacy Congress
• elfh Single-Sign-On

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Discover more about Pharmacy CPD at Manchester

Independent Prescribing (Short Course)

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page

This is an accelerated course that is assessed only at master’s level (FHEQ7), so we require a relevant Lower Second honours degree or above. See the professional entry qualification section for further professional requirements.

Full entry requirements

Please read our nomination pack, which contains guidance on completing the IP additional application form, FAQs and information about the roles and responsibilities of the Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) or the Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor. Following this guidance will help you to submit a complete application.

You must upload your completed Independent Prescribing Additional Application Form (Word, 154KB) as a CV when you complete the online application form.

It is essential that you submit a complete application with the required signatures, enhanced DBS disclosure and references to avoid delays in your application being processed. Application closing dates:

• March cohorts, the first Tuesday of the preceding December
• September cohorts, the last Tuesday of the preceding July.

Course options

Course overview.

• Supports pharmacists and NMC registrants to take on the role of an independent prescriber in their area of practice.
• Learn from a multi-disciplinary team from a range of backgrounds.
• Discover how to apply core prescribing skills including history taking, clinical assessment and diagnostic reasoning.
• With our blended learning model, most of your studies fit around you.
• Study at a university ranked 3rd in the UK for Nursing and 5th in the UK for Pharmacy and Pharmacology (QS World University Rankings 2023).

Attending an open day is a great way to find out what studying at Manchester is like. Find out about our upcoming open days .

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• Modular (part-time) UK students (per annum): £1,750 per 30 credit unit

Home (UK) fees are offered to applicants whose fees are being funded by NHS, even if the fee assessment confirms that you are an international applicant.

Please check online for details of fees, which may be subject to change and apply only to the dates given.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

Pharmacy Integration Programme funding for pharmacists

The University of Manchester is an approved provider of Health Education England (HEE) funded Independent Prescribing training. If you are eligible to access a place as part of the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCPEP), please upload your confirmation of eligibility certificate during the online application process. If you wish to access a funded place under any other eligibility criteria, please demonstrate your eligibility through your personal statement in section 1 of the IP Additional Application Form. We will secure funding directly from HEE for any offer-holder who meets the eligibility criteria.

We do not hold a contract with Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).

Contact details

Courses in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

• Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview, english language.

International students must demonstrate English proficiency through a secure and approved testing system. We ask for English language proof from applicants from countries that are not majority English-speaking countries. A list of majority English-speaking countries, as defined by the UK Home Office, can be found on the GOV.UK website .

• IELTS 7.0 overall with 7.0 in reading and writing specifically
• TOEFL minimum of 100 (Internet-based test)

See further information about requirements for your country .

English language test validity

Relevant work experience.

Please include your experience as part of your personal statement.

Your experience could have been obtained:

• whilst studying pharmacy, and could include experiential learning, simulation, summer placements and other relevant activities;
• during your pre-registration/foundation training year;
• whilst employed in a pharmacy setting.

The types of clinical experiences you might describe in your personal statement include:

• Working clinically in a patient-facing role.
• Ability to undertake medication reviews.
• An ability to consult with service users and consider their needs.
• Having an area of intended prescribing practice and clinical experience in this area of practice.
• Evidence of your engagement with CPD in the last 12 months or since registration/revalidation.
• Your ability to use reflection for learning and development.
• An awareness of your own abilities, limitations and professional codes of conduct.
• The ability to communicate with a wide range of healthcare professionals.

Professional entry qualification

Pharmacists must have the followings:

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or, in Northern Ireland, the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
• In good standing with the GPhC and/or PSNI and any other healthcare regulator with which you are registered.
• Experience in a UK pharmacy setting and an ability to recognise, understand and articulate the skills and attributes required by a prescriber to act as the foundation of your prescribing practice while training.
• An identified area of clinical or therapeutic practice on which to base your learning and up-to-date clinical, pharmacological and pharmaceutical knowledge relevant to this area.
• A designated prescribing practitioner (DPP) who has agreed to supervise your learning in practice. The proposed DPP must be a registered healthcare professional in Great Britain or Northern Ireland with legal independent prescribing rights, who is suitably experienced and qualified to carry out this supervisory role, and who has demonstrated CPD or revalidation relevant to this role.

NMC registrants must have the following:

• First level registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (for nurses and midwives).
• At least one year of post-registration patient-focused experience.
• An identified area of clinical practice in which to develop your prescribing skills and one year's post-registration clinical experience in this area.
• Agreements with two experienced independent prescribers to act as your Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor during the 90 hours of learning in practice; these two roles should not be undertaken by the same person.
• You must be capable of safe and effective practice in clinical/health assessment, diagnostics/care management, planning and evaluation of care in your identified area of prescribing practice.

Other entry requirements

You must have access to a computer with fast and reliable internet connection. There is a minimum level of computer skills required, including the ability to:

• navigate the Blackboard virtual learning environment to locate teaching and learning materials (with initial basic training);
• navigate PebblePad to build an e-portfolio (with initial basic training);
• communicate by email;
• work efficiently with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint or similar software;
• use the internet to search websites;
• scan and upload documents;
• navigate e-learning programs;
• participate in online conferencing (webinars).

Please see section 3 of the Independent Prescribing additional application form (Word, 155KB) for details of the eligibility criteria for your:

• Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) - pharmacist applicants
• Practice Assessor (PA) and Practice Supervisor (PS) - NMC registrant applicants

Please note that DPPs/PAs/PSs must not receive any payment for supervising your practice.

Further information regarding your mentorship arrangement can be found in Appendix A/B of the nomination pack (PDF, 996KB).

Application and selection

How to apply, advice to applicants, interview requirements.

All applicants who have submitted complete applications before the closing date and who meet all of the eligibility criteria will be offered an interview, which will be via an online meeting.

Places are allocated on the basis of a successful interview.

Fitness to practise / health requirements

Disclosure and barring service check, re-applications.

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Course details

Course description.

Our Independent Prescribing course enables pharmacists and NMC registrants to take on the role of an independent prescriber in their area of practice.

Pharmacists, nurses and midwives are taught together to facilitate multidisciplinary learning and working. The course runs over four months and usually has two intakes each year (September and March). A large proportion of the learning will be delivered online, providing a flexible approach to learning by allowing you to study at times convenient to you.

The blended delivery approach includes a series of mandatory workshops. Check the course details section for details of study days and confirm that you will be able to attend them all before you apply. If there are no dates for your preferred cohort after this time, please email [email protected].

You must also undertake 90 hours of learning in practice with your Designated Prescribing Practitioner or Practice Assessor/Practice Supervisor. Please see Appendix A/B of the nomination pack (PDF, 996KB) for details of roles and responsibilities.

Successful completion of an accredited course is not a guarantee of annotation or of future employment as an independent prescriber.

You can view accreditation reports on the General Pharmaceutical Council website and the Nursing & Midwifery Council website, although in this accreditation year, these may not be the current versions.

PhD with integrated master's

If you're planning to undertake a PhD after your master's, our I ntegrated PhD programme will enable you to combine your postgraduate taught course with a related PhD project in biology, medicine or health.

You can also visit this page for examples of projects related to integrated master's courses.

The course aims to build on your experiences and encourage the development and application of new knowledge and skills in practice. We aim to:

• enable you to successfully meet the standards set out by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)/Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), allowing you to request annotation as an independent prescriber;
• produce competent prescribers who can provide safe, effective and evidence-based prescribing to address the needs of patients in practice;
• enable pharmacists, nurses and midwives to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for safe and effective prescribing practice; 
• help you to develop a systematic, evidence-based and reflective approach to prescribing practice;
• support you to identify your own learning needs, develop as a critically reflective practitioner and advance your own learning to sustain continuing professional development, and work at the forefront of your profession.

Special features

Pharmacists can undertake the Independent Prescribing course as part of the PGDip/MSc Clinical Pharmacy .

NMC registrants may be able to use Independent Prescribing credits towards a larger award such as the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice .

Additional course information

Teaching and learning.

We use a range of teaching methods to help you develop the knowledge and understanding, practical skills, intellectual skills and personal qualities required to become a competent prescriber.  

Our blended approach to learning and assessment involves self-directed learning via the Blackboard virtual learning environment, a series of mandatory campus-based study days and supervised practice. 

Online materials can be studied in your own time, and will involve directed reading, online discussion and directed activities during supervised practice. As such, you must be self-motivated to learn in your own time and have a good level of IT skills to navigate Blackboard and the electronic portfolio.  

Pre-workshop tasks help you to prepare for the study days, which are interactive and focus on practical skills or topics that benefit from discussion with peers from a broad range of backgrounds. 

You must spend a minimum of 90 hours learning in practice under the supervision of a Designated Prescribing Practitioner or Practice Assessor/Practice Supervisor during the four-month course. During this time, you will complete a reflective practice portfolio to document and reflect on your learning, and to evidence your development of the prescribing competencies.  

This is an accelerated course that covers a large amount of learning in a very short space of time. You will need to engage fully with the course and commit to 15 hours of self-directed study and 7.5 of learning in practice each week of the course.

September 2023 cohort delivery (provisional)

There are six mandatory study days that run from 9am to 5pm on campus: 

27 and 28 September 2023

18 and 19 October 2023

16 November 2023

14 December 2023

March 2024 cohort delivery (provisional)

There are six mandatory study days that run from 9 am to 5 pm on campus:

• 13 and 14 March 2024
• 3 and 4 April 2024
• 5 June 2024

Coursework and assessment

September 2023 cohort (provisional)

• OSCE: 17 January 2024 on campus
• Exam: 17t January 2024 on campus
• Case presentation: week commencing 22 January 2024 online (day/time scheduled once the cohort has started)
• Portfolio deadline: midday on 31 January 2024

March 2023 cohort (provisional)

• OSCE: 3 July 2024 on campus
• Exam: 4 July 2024 on campus
• Case presentation: week commencing 8 July 2024 online (day/time scheduled once the cohort has started)
• Portfolio deadline: midday on 16 July 2024

Course unit details

The course will cover the competencies detailed in A competency framework for all prescribers  and the GPhC Standards for the education and training for pharmacists independent prescribers .

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants are available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS).

We encourage any student with a disability or long-term condition that might affect their ability to study or undertake assessments to register with DASS as soon as they have registered for the course.

Career opportunities

Accrediting organisations.

Recommended pages

• Undergraduate open days
• Postgraduate open days
• Accommodation
• Information for teachers
• Maps and directions
• Sport and fitness

Join our Postgraduate Open Day - Saturday 22 June

Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing

2023/24 January 2024 and March 2024: £1,997 More details on fees and funding

• Visit an Open Day
• Request a prospectus
• Course details
• Entry Requirements
• Teaching and assessment
• Employability

Fully accredited course. Innovations in educational excellence. Effective learning underpinned by expertise.

A multi-professional course to enable you to develop the consultation and prescribing skills required to qualify as an independent prescriber within your area of practice.

This programme is for GPhC and HCPC registered professionals only. If you are a nurse or midwife, please review this  course page .

The structure of the NHS, healthcare and service delivery is changing at a fast pace. New roles across healthcare services are developing and supporting a multi-disciplinary team approach to improving patient outcomes. This includes supporting patients to access a range of healthcare professionals with the ability to prescribe appropriately and safely within their scope of practice.  

This 40 credit Masters course (level 7) is delivered part-time over six months and comprises two compulsory 20 credit modules, which are taken consecutively, and an overarching non-credit bearing module that includes the period of supervised learning in practice and portfolio. All modules must be passed to be awarded the Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing. 40 credits is approximately 400 hours of student endeavour.

This course is currently open to pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, paramedics and therapeutic radiographers.

At Masters level you are expected to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks. You will need to demonstrate that you are able to systematically deal with complex issues and make sound judgements, sometimes in the absence of incomplete data.

The course adopts a blended learning approach including interactive face-to-face study days, case studies, discussions and online learning. Teaching also includes working with simulated patients to develop communication and clinical skills.  Your development is supported by learning in practice under the supervision of your Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP). You should be spending at least 50% of your supervised learning in practice time with your DPP. Time with any other practitioners can support your learning and should be agreed in advance with your DPP.

There is a strong emphasis on self-directed learning to ensure that the content is contextualised to your area of practice. The blending learning approach allows flexibility in managing your learning to support professional and personal commitments.

There are a variety of assessment methods to ensure safe and effective practice. These include a case presentation, critical reflection, OSCE (objective structured clinical examinations), 24 mandatory SCRIPT modules and completion of a structured learning and reflective portfolio.

Please note as you are qualified, registered and practicing professionals, you are subject to the fitness to practice procedure for your professional regulator.

UK students only, you must be registered to practice with your professional and regulatory body.

Apart from developing my practical clinical skills and knowledge, this course has enabled my confidence to grow and my abilities as a clinical pharmacist to shine through. Everybody, including both lecturers and fellow course mates are very friendly and welcoming which helps ease any possible nerves when starting a new course at a new university. The atmosphere is very warm and open, allowing students to voice their opinions and ask questions when they feel the need to. The lecturers are very interesting, knowledgeable and informative when it comes to providing the lectures and teaching materials. The best part is that they are genuinely happy and proud to see their students succeed. Stephanie Tung, Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing student (Clinical Pharmacist)

Why study this course?

• There is an emphasis on linking theoretical knowledge to practical skills. The course is designed around the core principles of safe and effective prescribing practice for application across therapeutic areas and clinical specialities in a variety of settings.
• Interactive face to face teaching activities include the use of real-life and simulated scenarios with case studies to develop competence in prescribing practice. You will develop clinical management plans and consider holistic care of the patient as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Role-play scenarios with the use of expert patient actors facilitates development of strong communication and clinical skills, vital for positive interaction with patients and fellow healthcare professionals. Further learning and development of prescribing competencies is supported through lectures and distance learning via a virtual learning environment.
• You will have access to our Clinical Skills Suite with state of the art equipment and facilities. 
• On successful completion of the course, you will be awarded the Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing.

This multi-professional blended learning course takes place over 6 months including 6 face-to-face study days. Attendance at the University for these dates is mandatory. 

There are an additional 2 days for completion of face-to-face assessment days.

You will be required to arrange a minimum of 90 hours (12 days) placement, in practice under the clinical supervision of an approved Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP). This is necessary in order to complete the programme. Should your working circumstances or placement arrangements change and you are therefore not able to successfully complete the required clinical supervision you will not be able to complete the programme.

2023/24 September 2023, January 2024 and March 2024: £2,260

Fees for September 2024 will be confirmed in the offer letter.

How To Apply

Application deadlines.

• For March 2024 entry, the deadline for applications is Tuesday 2nd January 2024

We no longer have any NHSE funding for pharmacists working within Groups 1 (community, locums, primary care) or 2 (PCPEP) available for our March 2024 intake, however we do have some Group 3 (NHS Hospital Trust, ICB) funding remaining .

Please Note

• The course is only available to applicants who are registered with: the General Pharmaceutical Council, and the Health and Care Professionals Council.
• The running of the course is subject to minimum numbers.

Our Standard Requirements

Admissions to the course are undertaken through a process of a university application followed by a supplementary course application form.

Due to the nature of teaching and learning on this course the number of places in each cohort is controlled. Admissions to the Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing may therefore be competitive. 

If your application meets the criteria (subject to conditions placed on the application) but the immediate cohort is full, a conditional offer will be recommended for the next available entry. 

Pharmacists

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) sets  learning outcomes for independent prescribing courses .  Courses are underpinned by  A Competency Framework for all Prescribers .   By the end of the course you must provide evidence that you meet the learning outcomes and prescribing competencies. Please also refer to GPhC Standards for pharmacy professionals and the eligibility criteria for becoming a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) Designated Prescribing Practitioner Competency Framework .

• Current registration for Pharmacists with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI). 
• Honours degree or evidence of ability to study the prescribing qualification at Level M (MPharm or equivalent professional qualification).
• Relevant experience in a UK pharmacy setting and be able to recognise, understand and articulate the skills and attributes required by a prescriber.
• Identify an area of clinical or therapeutic practice on which to base your learning.
• Written confirmation from your employer/sponsor of their support for you to undertake the course and to provide appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area where you are expected to prescribe.
• Have an identified Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) who meets the eligibility criteria for supervision of trainee prescribers and who has agreed to provide the required term of a minimum of 90 hours supervised practice.

Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Paramedic, Therapeutic Radiographers

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) sets  standards for prescribing and has adopted the  Competency Framework for all Prescribers .  

Further information:  http://www.ahpf.org.uk/AHP_Prescribing_Programme_Information.htm

Eligibility criteria for becoming a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) Designated Prescribing Practitioner Competency Framework .

• Current registration with the Health & Care Professions Council and professional group e.g. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (includes professional indemnity).
• A BSc/BA Honours degree or equivalent. The degree should normally be a first or upper second class Honours degree.
• Be professionally practicing in an environment where there is an identified need to regularly use independent prescribing.
• Have normally at least 3 years relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical area in which you will be prescribing.
• Be working at an advanced practitioner or equivalent level.
• Be able to demonstrate how you reflect on your own performance, take responsibility for your own Continuing Professional Development (CPD) including development of networks for support, reflection and learning.
• A satisfactory current enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) statement (DBS within the last three years/confirmation from employer that current DBS is acceptable).

During attendance at the University you will undertake key lectures, small group work, workshops and problem based learning. Core clinical assessment skills will be developed as part of the course study days including consultation and examination skills. Role-play scenarios including the use of expert patient actors will facilitate the development of effective communication and clinical skills.

The virtual learning environment CANVAS will support directed and independent learning. You will use the web-based SCRIPT e-learning programme . This comprises of 51 modules designed to improve prescribing competency and is developed in partnership with Health Education England – West Midlands and OCB media. 24 of these modules are mandatory. SCRIPT offers a range of modules including Fundamentals of Pharmacology, Dosing and Calculations and modules related to specific therapeutic areas.

You will develop the knowledge required to support your clinical decision making and prescribing practice. You will prepare for and reflect upon the key learning within the University and undertake the full range of portfolio activity to evidence your achievement of learning outcomes and prescribing competencies.

During the period of supervised learning in practice you will develop your prescribing competencies and evidence achievement of learning outcomes.

You will require an identified Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) to supervise the minimum 12 days (90 hours) learning in practice.

Nominated DPPs must be a registered medical or non-medical practitioner who must fulfil the following eligibility criteria, which underpin the competencies within the ' A Competency Framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioner ' (RPS 2019) , and should be met by all DPPs: 

1. Regulatory requirements: 

• Any prescriber taking on the DPP role must be registered with their professional regulator.
• All Non-Medical Practitioners undertaking the DPP role should have the necessary annotation for a prescriber as required by their regulator. 

2. Prescribing competency framework requirements:

Any registered health professional practitioner acting in the DPP role must be able to demonstrate they meet all competencies within the Competency Framework for all Prescribers (RPS 2021) .

Suitability of the role will be determined at the application stage.  DPPs must be fit to undertake the role and must have experience of teaching and supporting students within the clinical area.

Student testimonial

"The course was not only limited to the curriculum but offered other practical sessions that would be beneficial in practice. This gave insight and confidence to evaluate and improve oneself. The teaching environment and lecturers were professional but friendly at the same time. The environment was safe, calm and happy and was focused on learning and growing together as students."  - Vinisha Nicholas, Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing student (Physiotherapist)

Assessment Methods

• Case presentation
• Three station OSCE
• Critical reflection
• Structured reflective portfolio
• Satisfactory completion of 90 hours supervised learning in practice, validated and signed off by DPP
• Completion of 24 mandatory SCRIPT modules

Graduate destinations include: GP surgeries, mental health services, addiction services, pain management, and specialist secondary care services e.g. paediatrics, oncology, HIV.

Student Testimonial

"Completing this course has enabled me to register as a Paramedic Independent Prescriber which has afforded me significant professional development and ensured I am equipped and trained to increase medicines access to my patients." -  Jack Lewis, Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing student (Paramedic Independent Prescriber)

Careers Support for Postgraduate Students

Careers Network – We can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career

We recognise that as a postgraduate student you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market.

Here are just a few ways in which we can help postgraduates to get ahead:

• Careers Networking opportunities
• Effective careers strategy toolkit
• Year planner for all postgraduate students
• Masters Career Coaching Workshops
• One to one careers guidance

The Careers Network also have subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area. They also have a dedicated careers website for  international students where you can find useful resources and information.

For more information visit the  Careers Network website .

• Online chat events
• Ask our students
• How to apply

Clearing Universities & Courses

Clearing advice.

Recommended Clearing Universities

Popular Course Categories

Course Search & Discover

Start the search for your uni. Filter from hundreds of universities based on your preferences.

Search by Type

Search by region.

Recommended Universities

Ravensbourne University London

London (Greater) · 88% Recommended

Swansea University

Wales · 100% Recommended

University of Surrey

South East England · 98% Recommended

Search Open Days

What's new at Uni Compare

University of Roehampton

Study a teaching degree at one of the UK's leading teacher training providers

University of Sussex

Prepare for a digitally advanced workplace with cutting edge Finance Degrees

Ranking Categories

Regional rankings.

More Rankings

Top 100 Universities

Taken from 65,000+ data points from students attending university to help future generations

About our Rankings

Discover university rankings devised from data collected from current students.

Guide Categories

Advice categories, recommended articles, popular statement examples, not sure what to search for, take our quick degree quiz.

Find the ideal uni course for you with our Course Degree Quiz. Get answers in minutes!

Take our full degree quiz

Get more tailored course suggestions with our full Course Degree Quiz and apply with confidence.

PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE Pharmacy MPharm Personal Statement

Submitted by Imaan

Pharmacology will give you a range of career options

Gain a highly sought-after qualification by studying Pharmacology and benefit from the state-of-the-art STEM labs at Bedfordshire.

Pharmacy MPharm Personal Statement

My experience of shadowing a community pharmacist was a watershed in which I realised the full extent of roles of this profession in its setting. Changing demographics of the UK population have placed high demands on the National Health Service. Recent changes, allowing pharmacists to be independent prescribers have, however, introduced person-centred characteristics, thus making available more healthcare professionals to the benefit of service users, to alleviate the situation.

Studying Chemistry and Biology has awakened my fascination for the compositions of compounds and their characteristics and behaviour, and desire to study them at a higher level. I enjoy the mathematics of Chemistry and the high precision involved in interactions between molecules, as this allows application of my analytical skills, and gain insights, not only of their manufacturing dynamics, but also their kinetic characteristics.

Biology has enhanced my understanding of basic physiological and behavioural characteristics of the human body, and resulting intricacies of their interactions. Of particular personal relevance is my improved knowledge and cognisance of the regulation of blood glucose, which has facilitated the support I provide for a close relative with Type II Diabetes. The retail element of pharmacy is crucial to effective control of drugs, placing the demand for trustworthiness on pharmacists.

Religious Studies, as my third subject has enhanced my understanding of the ethical implications of this responsibility to the public. This has also provided me with the sensitivity to communicate only medically relevant information to patients whilst allowing them to make their own decisions regarding compliance and/ or adherence, according to their respective beliefs. Being a pharmacist requires having a range of skills, some of which I developed through various roles at school and in extra-curricular activities.

My fluency in spoken and written Urdu and Punjabi will be beneficial in reducing language barriers among service users within my local community. In school, my roles as originator and administrator of a student-run blog and social platform have enhanced my writing and leadership skills.

Membership of my school's Fairtrade Committee has provided the opportunity to plan and run events, as well as public speaking to raise awareness of global fair trade. These efforts have enhanced my confidence, organisational and communication skills as well as my sense of equity. I also run a drama club, serve as Biology and Religious Studies mentor, and a Key Stage prefect for junior students, which have increased my interpersonal skills, since these roles involve using strategies to motivate participants towards smooth transition to their senior years. I have previously volunteered in a charity shop where I organised stock and used the cash till.

My previous work experience session at a local pharmacy, in addition to shadowing a community pharmacist, involved carrying out various functions. I am currently beginning another session at a different shop, performing similar roles of helping in stock control and prescription deliveries. I realise the need for effectiveness and efficiency in pharmacy practice, especially in challenging situations. My drive for these work attributes were recognised by being nominated for team leadership during the 2016 National Citizenship Service, with tasks to delegate and motivate team members towards target attainment.

My ability to accept challenges was also rewarded by attainment of my school's Bronze, Silver and Gold Spirit of Queen Mary's, as well The Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award, both based on completing a series of specified tasks.

I believe I have the requisite background academic knowledge and experience to pursue an intensive Pharmacy course at university level that allow me to embark on a career that will be rewarding to both myself and the community or any other setting that I find myself in.

Recommended Course

Recommended Statements

Submitted by anonymous

Pharmacy Personal Statement

My fascination in Pharmacy began when shadowing a Pharmacist on a hospital ward. It highlighted to me the ...

Mharm (Pharmacy) Personal Statement

Reading the uses, interactions and side-effects of a drug was what instigated my interest in pharmacy. Res...

Submitted by Hasnan

Pharmacy (Masters) Personal Statement

Why Pharmacy? I considered a range of medical career options but after attending the science live conferen...

Submitted by Sonal

I am interested in pursuing a career in Pharmacy as I have a passion for helping people and a desire to ma...

undergraduate Universities

Undergraduate uni's.

Ravensbourne

103 courses

Swansea Uni

1319 courses

Uni of Surrey

750 courses

Uni of Portsmouth

761 courses

114 courses

Northeastern Uni

Uni of East London

575 courses

Leeds Beckett Uni

454 courses

Uni of Sunderland

340 courses

Cardiff Met Uni

501 courses

Uni of Brighton

407 courses

Uni for Creative Arts

672 courses

Uni of Chester

645 courses

467 courses

886 courses

Uni of Leicester

432 courses

Heriot-Watt Uni

334 courses

Uni of Westminster

503 courses

Uni of Winchester

259 courses

548 courses

Goldsmiths, UOL

344 courses

Uni of Roehampton

468 courses

Middlesex Uni

634 courses

Staffordshire Uni

472 courses

Uni of Bradford

390 courses

Uni of Hertfordshire

584 courses

West London IoT

Escape Studios

ARU Writtle

104 courses

Kingston Uni

617 courses

Wrexham Uni

289 courses

Uni of Suffolk

186 courses

Uni of Kent

580 courses

Bath Spa Uni

520 courses

Queen's Uni

635 courses

Coventry Uni

480 courses

Uni of Bedfordshire

656 courses

UWE, Bristol

497 courses

Leeds Arts University

Uni of C.Lancashire

798 courses

Uni of Essex

1400 courses

Uni of Huddersfield

668 courses

Uni of Reading

685 courses

709 courses

Anglia Ruskin Uni

808 courses

Edge Hill Uni

383 courses

Uni of Hull

498 courses

Nottingham Trent

912 courses

FIND THE IDEAL COURSE FOR YOU

Degree Course Quiz

Find the ideal university course for you in minutes by taking our degree matchmaker quiz today.

Find the latest from Uni Compare

University of Law

Ranked Top 20 amongst English universities in the 2023 National Student Survey, click here to learn more!

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Ranked as the most sustainable university in Wales (People & Planet University League 2023/24)

King's College London

Pharmacist independent prescribing (pip) pg cert.

Applications for September 2024 entry will open in June 2024.

Our Pharmacist Independent Prescribing (PIP) post-graduate course is part-time, flexible and competency-based. This is a GPhC accredited course for qualified pharmacists wanting to prescribe autonomously for conditions within their clinical competence.

Key benefits

• We are ranked 20th in the world for Pharmacy & Pharmacology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023).
• Experienced clinicians including independent pharmacist and nurse prescribers and experienced academic staff lead our teaching.
• The course combines multi-professional university-based study days with, flexible e-learning with work-based education.
• This course is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Course content and assessments will reflect the most up-to-date practice which will support you as a newly qualified pharmacist prescriber in your workplace.
• Includes patient assessment and consultation skills to support your prescribing practice.
• We are part of King's Heath Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between us, Guy's, St Thomas' and King's College Hospitals and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.
• Course essentials
• Entry requirements
• Teaching & structure

Employability

We will equip you to be a pharmacist independent prescriber and deliver services for patients in line with the demands of the changing NHS. 

• Fees & Funding

Application closing date guidance

Please click the relevant link in the table below to access Key Dates, for the relevant cohort that you wish to join. This document contains dates for all taught sessions, the DPP session, assessment days and online sessions.

• How to apply
• Register your interest
• Chat to a student
• Order a prospectus

For more information regarding our courses please contact us using the details below: Rory Donnelly Principal Teaching Fellow and Gillian Murray Principal Teaching Fellow

Related departments

• Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
• School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences

Open days and events

Chat with current students and King's staff to find out about the courses we offer, life at King's and ask any questions you may have.

Dr Saleh Alessy wins prestigious Young Leader in Cancer Control Award

Dr Saleh Alessy, Visiting Research Associate in cancer epidemiology, has won the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)'s...

Explore more

Accommodation

Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.

Connect with a King’s Advisor

Want to know more about studying at King's? We're here to help.

Learning in London

King's is right in the heart of the capital.

Independent prescriber education and training

A pharmacist independent prescriber may prescribe autonomously for any condition within their clinical competence. This currently excludes three controlled drugs to treat addiction.

To qualify as an independent prescriber, you must complete one of our accredited courses. On successful completion of the course, you’ll receive a practice certificate in independent prescribing and be eligible to apply to our register.

An accredited independent prescribing course typically takes six months to complete. The course is part-time and often delivered through a combination of face-to-face teaching sessions (often one day a week) and self-study.

Some universities offer distance learning courses, but with a minimum of 26 days of teaching time. Each pharmacist must successfully complete at least 12 days (90 hours) of learning in a practice environment under the supervision of a designated prescribing practitioner.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for independent prescribing courses  are set out in in our new standards for the education and training of pharmacist independent prescribers. Course providers may require additional entry requirements, so it’s best to check with your chosen place of study.

Pharmacists must have relevant experience in a UK pharmacy setting and be able to recognise, understand and articulate the skills and attributes required by a prescriber to act as the foundation of their prescribing practice whilst training.  

Related content

Apply for an annotation.

Once we’ve got confirmation that you’ve been awarded a GPhC accredited independent prescriber qualification, you will be able to apply to add your annotation.

Go to MyGPhC

Search courses

Use the search below to find specific independent prescriber courses. You can use the filters in the left to find different types of courses, or search by location.

Glyndwr University

Independent prescribing course.

Approved to use revised entry requirements** - No

Queen’s University Belfast

University of reading.

Approved to use revised entry requirements** - Yes

Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen)

Swansea university, university of wolverhampton.

Approved to use revised entry requirements**- No

Bangor University

University of bolton, buckinghamshire new university, university of chester, university of cumbria, university of derby, university of exeter, university of portsmouth, university of hull, university of leeds, london south bank university, northern ireland centre for pharmacy learning and development (nicpld), open university (milton keynes), university of plymouth, university of salford, university of south wales, university of the west of england, university of winchester, edge hill university, university of leicester, university of bath, university college london, aston university (birmingham), sheffield hallam university, university of strathclyde (glasgow), anglia ruskin university (aru), university of suffolk, coventry university, keele university, university of brighton, university of hertfordshire, university of sunderland, university of east anglia (norwich), cardiff university, university of birmingham.

School of Pharmacy

School of Nursing and Midwifery Approved to use revised entry requirements** - Yes

University of Bradford

University of central lancashire (preston).

School of Pharmacy Approved to use revised entry requirements** - No

School of Community Health and Midwifery Approved to use revised entry requirements** - No

De Montfort University (Leicester)

University of huddersfield, king's college, university of london, university of lincoln, liverpool john moores university, medway school of pharmacy, universities of greenwich and kent, university of manchester.

This is our BETA website where we're testing a new design and layout.

We need your feedback! Click here to send us your views

• Nurses Jobs Ltd

Health & Care Professionals

• Location Guides
• Community Contributors
• Masterclass Videos
• NHS Pay Calculator
• NHS Nursing Pay Guide

Employers & Recruiters

• Hiring?
• Recruiter Log In

Nurses.co.uk

• About Nurses.co.uk
• 12 June 2019
• 12 min read

Why I became an Independent Nurse Prescriber

• Laura Woods Nurse Consultant Forensic Health Care Services
• Save for later
• Allan Terwane

Maria Kushnirov

Laura recently embarked on a journey to becoming a nurse prescriber - she shares why she chose this pathway in this blog.

Find healthcare jobs

1000s of jobs for nurses, AHPs, clinicians, care assistants, managers and more. Jobs in care homes, hospitals, and the community

What drove me to consider prescribing?

Currently, to qualify as an Independent Nurse Prescriber you have to have at least 3 years post registration experience and have extensive clinical experience in your field of practice.

Ideally, you will be “sponsored” by your organisation to undertake the prescribing module.

Independent prescribing is taught either at Level 6 (degree) or Level 7 (Masters).

Before commencing the module you will need to have a Designated Medical Practitioner (DMP) identified who will be your clinical supervisor throughout the course and sign you off as competent to prescribe.

I had always taken a particular interest in the pharmacological interventions used within Mental Health Services and how they had benefited the patients I worked with.

"I knew my patients, I knew how they felt, what caused distressed, what time of day was more difficult and what worked when things became too much."

I worked on a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for 9 years and saw how medications could ease acute symptoms of mental illness and support a persons recovery.

As a Senior Nurse I remained reliant on the presence of a Doctor to prescribe any medications and this was sometimes the cause of delaying treatment or changes to medications, ultimately causing distress or an increase in risk.

PICUs can be a fast paced environment with admissions throughout the 24 hour period.

I became aware over the years I was there that access to Doctors was changing.

Read more from Laura

•  What to expect from your job as a prison nurse

• What does a Mental Health Nurse do?

•  What is forensic mental health, and how did I end up working in it?

•  A guide to Community Mental Health Nursing

Out of hours it was incredibly challenging to have junior Doctors present to undertake admission assessments or review patients after incidents.

There were many times I wished I could of prescribed emergency medications rather than wait for long periods for a Doctor to arrive.

Another motivation to train as a prescriber was the nature of the Nurse-Patient relationship.

As Nurses, we spend considerable time with our patients, building therapeutic relationships and really getting to know people on a meaningful basis.

I knew my patients, I knew how they felt, what caused distressed, what time of day was more difficult and what worked when things became too much. Nurses are there, on the wards 24 hours a day.

This level of engagement can only contribute to prescribing decisions and I knew when I worked on the ward that I was best placed to make prescribing decisions in collaboration with my patients.

Since the emergence of more independent Nurse Prescribers there has been significant evidence to support the role.

Wide scale studies suggest higher patient satisfaction, better adherence to prescribed medications and a reduction in over prescribing of medications.

As a Nurse working in PICU, Prisons and Forensic Mental Health I developed specific knowledge and skills in the management of acute disturbance.

As I moved through my career I studied medications which are used in emergency situations, called “Rapid Tranquilisation” or “RT”.

How to become an Independent Nurse Prescriber

For any Independent Nurse Prescriber it is important to develop a “scope of practice” and as a Mental Health Nurse my scope of practice included drugs prescribed for psychosis, mania, depression, agitation and acute behavioural disturbance.

Whilst in my current role as Matron in Forensic Mental Health I approached my manager and requested support in applying for the V300 Module.

V300 is the recognised stand-alone module for Nurses, Pharmacists and Allied Health Care Professionals who wish to qualify as Prescribers.

Many NHS Trusts will have a local agreement with the nearby universities and within your Trust there will likely be an Independent Prescribing lead for Nurses.

I contacted the lead within my NHS Trust and was asked to submit a training request form which outlined my rationale for wanting to train.

Once submitted I had a brief interview with the Trust Lead.

It is important to identify if there is a need for nurse prescribing in your service and how you will prescribe once qualified.

Like this article? Subscribe to The Nurses Weekly!

Many Nurses are anxious about drug calculations, especially if significant time has passed since they last studied.

I dug out my old nurse calculations book and practiced a lot before starting the course. In order to get onto the course I attended an induction day and passed a mock calculations exam.

V300 courses are run by a number of universities across the country and will vary slightly in their structure.

It is likely that the course will run over 6 months with taught lectures and study time.

Upload or create your CV on Nurses.co.uk. Our CV building tool is designed specifically for UK healthcare. Use it to apply for jobs and get hired.

What was my Prescribing course like?

V300 Prescribing courses are generic courses; the content of the course is relevant to any area of practice.

On my course there were Mental Health Nurses , Adult Nurses, Community Nurses, Cardiac Nurses, Children’s Nurses and A&E Nurses.

The most intensive part of the course was the pharmacology lectures which covered in detail the way drugs work on the body (pharmacodynamics) and how the body responds to drugs (pharmacokinetics).

I found it important to make thorough notes and revise each session as all students have an exam at the end of the course.

As with any Nurse education, supervised clinical practice time provides the experiential learning to develop competency and confidence.

You will be required to spend at least 90 hours prescribing with 45 of these with your DMP.

The others hours can be spent with any other prescribing professional and I was fortunate to have another Nurse Prescriber and Pharmacist Prescriber in my hospital.

Alongside the taught lectures, exams and supervised prescribing hours you will have to complete a portfolio of work.

As with previous nurse education, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have identified specific competencies and domains which you need to demonstrate you have met in order to pass and register with the NMC as an Independent Nurse Prescriber.

My portfolio consisted of two 3000 word essays based on case studies, seven reflective accounts covering areas of prescribing practice, such as prescribing for specialist groups, prescribing as a team, anti-microbial resistance and antibiotics and two examples of writing prescriptions.

I also had to pass a numeracy exam and undertake an OSCE (an observed assessment) which included a prescribing decision.

Each piece of work had to be signed by my DMP and then cross referenced with the NMC competencies.

"I will remember writing my first prescription for the rest of my career."

To say I needed to be organised is an understatement!

I underwent a significant professional transition during my training, and I utilised reflective accounts to acknowledge the change.

What I learned about myself

As a nurse I would often advocate certain medications and request that Doctors write certain prescriptions.

During my training I noticed how much more anxious I was when deciding which medications to prescribe and wanted to ensure all physical health checks had been completed before prescribing.

In mental health services, some of the commonly used anti-psychotics can increase the risk of cardiac disease.

Prior to prescribing I would advocate them in the management of agitation.

As I transitioned to a nurse prescriber, I became aware of the increased accountability and responsibility of writing prescriptions and wanted to ensure all the possible risks were reduced.

At the end of the course I took an exam covering the pharmacology theory and also using the British National Formulary (BNF).

I was very pleased to pass both my exam and the portfolio and be assessed as competent to register my qualification with the NMC.

Subscribe and get even more - for free

Access peer-to-peer career insights, our self-help coaching guide, plus expert videos on wellbeing, self-care and mental health.

Next steps - following qualification

You have to pay £20.00 to register your prescribing qualification but once the NMC have received your payment the qualification was present the next day.

At this point I was legally able to prescribe; however, it is important both as best practice and to be covered by indemnity insurance to ensure you are signed off within your trust or place of work.

The NHS Trust I work for requires an “intent to prescribe” form to be submitted yearly.

This form outlines your scope of prescribing practice, which medications you will prescribe and who will be your own going DMP.

Independent Nurse Prescribers are required to have regular supervision with their DMP throughout their career and I have been able to continue working with the Consultant Psychiatrist who supervised me in my training.

Career Progression

Any nurse with the required 3 years post registration experience can become a prescriber. You will usually be working as a Band 6 nurse and becoming a prescriber can support the progression to a Band 7 post.

Historically, Independent Nurse Prescribers only worked as Band 7s and above, however the role is now often carried out by Band 6 Nurses and a pay rise and career progression is not automatic.

An excellent career pathway for nurses is to gain an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) qualification.

The Masters level qualification will include the prescribing module and advanced assessments which support the diagnosing of conditions.

As an ANP you can apply for 8a and 8b posts and expect to earn 45-55k a year.

What is it like in practice?

Once I had been signed off by my Trust, I was able to prescribe.

As a Matron in an inpatient setting it quickly became apparent that I needed to provide some reassurances to the Doctors who I worked with.

There were concerns regarding me changing medication plans or prescribing without discussing with the wider team.

To rectify this, I arranged a local Independent Prescribing committee and wrote a local protocol outlining the role and responsibilities.

I will remember writing my first prescription for the rest of my career.

I was nervous, methodical, used my best pen and felt immensely proud. Medications form just part of the work I do with patients but qualifying as an Independent Prescriber has added a further dimension to my nursing practice. The NHS is changing.

Nurses remain the largest group of professionals in the NHS workforce.

Any skill which supports the professionalism, expertise and autonomy of nurses is to be advocated.

About the author

Registered Mental Health Nurse with 11 years experience. Worked in Psychiatric Intensive Care for 8 years. Moved to a Nurse Manager role within the prison service. Gained a MSc in Clinical Forensic Psychiatry then worked as a Matron within the prison service and secure forensic mental health hospital. I’m now a Nurse Consultant for Forensic Mental health, am a non-medical independent prescriber. Currently training to be an Approved Clinician

Access peer-to-peer career insights, our self-help coaching guide, plus expert videos on wellbeing, self-care and mental health

Care Professionals Helping One Another

Nurses.co.uk is a community where people like you can contribute and share advice. Learn & never miss out on updates. Subscribe to be part of our community.

Want to get involved in the discussion

Yetunde Fawole

Hi Laura, thanks for this article. I currently work in a nursing home as a Nurse. I am interested in ... read more

Hi Laura, thanks for this article. I currently work in a nursing home as a Nurse. I am interested in becoming an independent Nurse Prescriber. However as I do not work in the NHS or with any Nurse prescriber, I am not unable to start the course as I need to have a supervisor to work with. Do you have any ideas what is the best route to take or can I write to GP surgeries to volunteer as a student nurse prescriber and in return To provide supervision? Thank you. read less

• Post a reply

Thanks for the article. I'm wondering how you are finding the course? I am looking to apply for a similar course this ... read more

Thanks for the article. I'm wondering how you are finding the course? I am looking to apply for a similar course this September so would welcome any feedback. Thank you read less

Thanks Maria, good to hear from you.... The course is very intense.. it requires you to be very organised and keep on top of all the paper work! I would recommend writing a small reflective piece eve... read more

Thanks Maria, good to hear from you.... The course is very intense.. it requires you to be very organised and keep on top of all the paper work! I would recommend writing a small reflective piece every day of practice so it is fresh in your mind and helps build the portfolio as you go rather than waiting until it is due in.. The exam is understandably tough, being able to prescribe medication is a big responsibility so having the right knowledge and skills is important. Just revise revise revise! Good Luck! read less

Similar Articles

Why I emigrated from the UK to Canada as a nurse

• Audrey Barnwell
• Clinical Educator for PICU, British Columbia Children's Hospital

My career pathway at Cygnet from support worker to clinical manager

• Laura Williams
• Clinical Manager - Cygnet

My nursing career journey: How I became a Practice Development Nurse at Diaverum

• Allie Spittle
• Practice Development Nurse, Diaverum

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you consent to our use of cookies. To find out more or to change your cookie settings, visit the cookies section of our Cookie Policy .

Please upgrade your web browser to view our website.

• Internet Explorer
• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome