Independent Prescribing

This course provides a Postgraduate Certificate in Independent Prescribing Practice. 

• In order for nurse / midwife / Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) to attain prescribing annotation, they would need to complete module Independent Prescribing for NMC registrants.
• This module is a modification of the previous USW prescribing module. The modifications have been undertaken to meet the current NMC prescribing standards (NMC 2018).
• In order for a pharmacist or suitable HCPC registrant to attain prescribing annotation, they would complete module Independent Prescribing for GphC and HCPC registrants.
• The course is designed to provide opportunities for students to further develop their knowledge, skills, understanding, and competence to be able to effectively and safely prescribe in their area of practice.    

Blended teaching: Mixing face to face study days and distance learning.

Face to face study is a mixture of lead lectures, tutorials and physical assessment sessions. Utilising a range of experts from within the university as well as from our partner trusts.

Theoretical learning will be managed through blended facilitated learning processes that include distance education, lectures, tutorials, workshops, participant-led learning activities and use of simulated learning environments.  

Work-based practice learning will focus on supporting prescribing competence development within the context of the participant's practice. 

The participants will have support from practice based tutors (Designated Prescribing Practitioners (GphC and HCPC) and practice supervisor and practice and academic assessors (NMC). The practice-based tutors will offer educational support and play a key role in assessment and responsibilities for signing off competence. 

Students will be allocated either a Thursday or Friday study day. The 15 days face to face will be spread out across the year. Students will also be expected to complete the 130 hours of directed study and 235 hours of independent study. 

Additionally, 100 hours of supervised learning will be undertaken in practice The support given by the student's clinical environment to the development of prescribing practice is key.

Lecturers

• Ben Pitcher
• Julia Elayanithottathil
• Sara Morgan
• Chris Nash
• Dawn Parry
• Meirion Williams

All Nursing and Midwifery applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Valid registration on Part 1 of the Professional register maintained by the NMC.
• Have at least one year’s post-registration clinical nursing experience.
• Have appropriate experience in the area of practice in which they will be prescribing; the employing organisation will assess and confirm the appropriate experience in areas of practice.
• An ability to study at academic level 6. Candidates without a first degree must provide evidence of being able to work at level 6 (e.g. Possession of a relevant diploma/degree), and may be asked to submit evidence of relevant experience and/or study.
• Support from the employing organisation whose responsibility it is to supply practice supervisors and practice assessors for the candidate.

All GPhC  applicants will applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Applicants are registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or, in Northern Ireland, with the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
• Applicants are in good standing with the GPhC and/or PSNI, and any other healthcare regulator with which they are registered.
• Applicants 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. This experience and awareness will act as the basis of their prescribing practice whilst training.
• For the purposes of developing their independent prescribing practice applicants must identify an area of clinical or therapeutic practice on which to base their learning.
• Have support from the sponsoring organisation (such as an NHS Trust or primary care organisation), including appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area in which they expect to prescribe, and an identified service need for this extended role.
• Applicants must have a designated prescribing practitioner who has agreed to supervise their learning in practice. The applicant’s designated prescribing practitioner 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. Although an applicant may be supervised by more than one person, only one prescriber must be the designated prescribing practitioner. The designated prescribing practitioner is the person who will certify that successful pharmacists are competent to practise as independent prescribers.

All HCPC registrants must meet the following criteria:

• Be currently registered as a physiotherapist or paramedic with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Have at least two years post-registration experience.
• Allied health professionals must work as “an advanced practitioner or equivalent level” for entry to prescribing programmes.
• Have support from the sponsoring organisation (such as an NHS Trust or primary care organisation), including appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area in which they expect to prescribe, and an identified service need for this extended role.
• Have a named Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP), recognised by the employing/Health Service commissioning organisation as having experience in a relevant field of practice, training and experience in the supervision, support and assessment of trainees, who has agreed to provide the student with opportunities to develop competencies in prescribing, supervise, support and assess the student during their clinical placement.

Interview

Once the eligibility form has been checked and verified, and the applicant has been identified as eligible to study, they will be offered a Telephone or face to face interview. This will be used to clarify information submitted on the form and to confirm the appropriateness of the applicant’s intentions for prescribing. Interviews take place between April and September.

1. Ten critical reflective accounts (weighting 40%). Each account must be passed at 40%.

2. Written Examination – calculations examination and MCQ/SAQ (weightng 10%)

• Calculations section (Pass mark 100%).
• pharmacology and prescribing practice section (Pass mark 80%).

3. Record of work based learning (weighting 40%):

• Two in - practice Assessements
• Log of hours 100 hours supervised practice
• Evidence of the development of prescribing competence 
• A supplementary prescribing Clinical Management Plan.
• Evidence of competence in physical assessment document. 

Participants will have an induction at the beginning of the course. This will also include an induction to the services offered by the learning resource centre, study skills, advice zone staff and student services.

Participants will be allocated a Personal Tutor to offer support and guidance with all aspects of the course. Participants will also be nominated an academic assessor to fulfil the role of taking responsibility for a supporting learning in practice.

Participants will have a nominated individual(s) from their practice setting to support and promote opportunities for the participant to develop their skills in relation to prescribing. The practice supervisors / assessors will be supported in their role by the course team.

NMC registered nurses, midwives and SCPHNs undertaking the course will be allocated nominated Practice Supervisor(s), a Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor to support supervise and assess their learning and measure the achievement of prescribing competence. These individuals will have suitable qualifications and experience in relation to prescribing.

Office hours and meetings with participants will be flexible with due consideration of participants working patterns.

• Online learning environment
• Clinical simulation suite