Non-Medical Prescribing for Pharmacists, Nurses and Allied Health Professionals
Postgraduate Certificate
Introduction
Non-Medical prescribing aims to provide patients with quicker and more efficient access to medicines and to make the best use of the skills of pharmacists, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. This forms part of the National Health Service modernisation agenda as recommended in the Crown Report published in 1999 (Review of Prescribing Supply and Administration of Medicines).
Since commencing the first training programme in 2004, more than 120 pharmacists and nurses have successfully achieved Non-Medical Prescriber status. The next Postgraduate Certificate Non-Medical Prescribing programme is scheduled to start in autumn 2011. Those qualifying from this course will be able to practice as Non-Medical Prescribers.
This educational and assessment programme will prepare pharmacists for registration as Independent Prescribers with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and nurses and midwives as Independent Prescribers with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It will also prepare Physiotherapists, Radiographers, Podiatrists and Chiropodists (AHPs) for application to the Health Professional Council (HPC) to have the HPC register annotated with the Supplementary Prescribing entitlement. Those qualifying will be able to practice as either Supplementary or Independent Prescribers, according to their respective register.
The Course
Postgraduate Certificate Non-Medical Prescribing
The Welsh School of Pharmacy and the School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies have developed the programme to prepare pharmacists, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals to practise as Non-Medical Prescribers and to meet the relevant standards set by the GPhC, NMC and HPC. Furthermore, this eight-month programme develops the critical analysis and personal reflection skills of course participants and prepares them for lifelong professional development.
The programme consists of:
20 study days at Cardiff University (Cardiff and Caerleon sites) where topics such as communication, consultation process, decision-making, therapeutics, clinical patient assessment, and clinical governance will be covered. Prior learning may exempt some students from some study sessions. Application for exemption will be required as part of the course application process.
The equivalent of 12 days (as a minimum) learning in practice, developing clinical assessment and prescribing skills under the supervision of the Designated Supervising Medical Practitioner (DSMP). This equates to 78 hours for nurses/midwives/allied health professionals and 90 hours for pharmacists, based upon the NMC, GPhC and HPC requirements.
An extensive amount of study time including self directed, or course/DSMP directed study, assignment writing and completion of a Prescribing Portfolio
The course is made up of two 30 credit modules, at level HE4 (QAA) which equates to at least 600 hours of student effort.