3.2 PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION- SUPPLEMENTARY/INDEPENDENT PRESCRIBING
1. Awarding
Institution/Body:
2. Teaching
Institution:
University of
Greenwich,
University of
Kent
The Medway
School of
Pharmacy




3. Accredited by:
4. Final Award:
Royal
Pharmaceutical
Society of GB
and
Nursing and
Midwifery Council
and
Health Professions
Council
For nurses:
PgCert in
Independent and
Supplementary
Prescribing’
For pharmacists:
PgCert ‘Practice
Certificate in
Supplementary
Prescribing for
Pharmacists’
For Allied Health
Professionals:
‘PgCert in
Supplementary
Prescribing’
5. Programme Title
6. UCAS Code:
For nurses and midwives
‘Independent and Supplementary
Prescribing’
For pharmacists and allied
health professionals:
‘Supplementary Prescribing’
8. Educational Aims of the Programme: [Maximum 0f 150 words]
To prepare pharmacists to practice as supplementary prescribers
To prepare nurses and midwives to practice as supplementary/independent prescribers
To develop the knowledge and skills required by an allied health professional to practice as a supplementary prescriber
To meet the standards set by the respective professional or regulatory body as required within the legislative framework
7. QAA Benchmarking
Gp(s):
9. The programme provides opportunities for learners to achieve the following outcomes: [where
relevant, provide reference to subject benchmarking statements]
10. The following teaching, learning and assessment methods are used to enable learners to
achieve and demonstrate these outcomes:
A Knowledge and understanding of:
 The legal and professional framework for non-medical prescribing
 Local health service provision and systems
 National and local frameworks for medicines use
 National and local budgetary constraints on prescribing
 Models of consultation
 Principles of diagnosis
 Applied advanced physiology
 Pathophysiology, natural history and progression of defined conditions
 Changes to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in certain patient
groups
 Principles of monitoring
A Teaching and learning:
Print based distance learning to incorporate work-based assignments.
Students are required to develop a reflective portfolio of practice activities
which are discussed with their peer group during the 5 contact days. These
study days also include tutorials, seminars and workshops and involve the
students in problem solving exercises, individual and group presentations.
A Assessment Methods:
The assessment methods associated with each course are detailed in the
individual course specifications. Assessments include a combination of
problem solving exercises, reflective assignments and an Objective
Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The nature of the assignments is
appropriate to the subject areas and learning outcomes.
B Intellectual skills:
 Review and critically evaluate best available evidence relevant to a
specified area of prescribing practice, synthesising information from
key sources and databases.
 Integrate previous learning with professional skills and expertise to
synthesise innovative approaches to implementing extended
independent/supplementary prescribing in practice
 Further develop the skills to review and critically analyse own learning
and apply this to enhance role as a non-medical prescriber
 Make sound judgements about prescribing issues in the absence of
complete data and communicate conclusions clearly to specialist and
non-specialist audiences
B Teaching and learning
Intellectual skills are developed through reflective practice and learning
activities and are supported by workshops and objective structured clinicalstyle practice situations during study days
C Subject Practical skills:
 Consultation skills and medical history taking
 Physical examination of patients to aid diagnosis and monitoring
 Interpretation of medical documentation with an understanding of risks
and benefits of incomplete data
 Monitoring patient response against objectives set within clinical
management plans
 Recording prescribing actions and outcomes and the evidence base
behind them contemporaneously in patient records
C Teaching and learning
Practical skills are developed in a co-ordinated manner throughout the
programme. These skills are further developed during the 5 day contact
time and through work-based learning.
B Assessment Methods:
Methods used to assess intellectual skills include case studies analysis and
short written assignments. Intellectual skills are also assessed as part of the
OSCE.
C Assessment Methods:
Practical skills are assessed through a variety of assessment methods such
as short written assignments, case study analysis, problem solving
exercises and an OSCE.
D Transferable/ key skills:
 Show evidence of critical self-reflection and the ability to enhance
professional competence on the basis of feedback from self and others.
 Communicate with clarity in both the academic and professional setting
to a range of audiences and using a variety of approaches.
 Show ability to effectively manage and present complex information
using a comprehensive range of learning resources
 Show a capacity for autonomous learning and ability to access
professional resources including others as appropriate
D Teaching and learning
Problem solving, teamwork, communication skills, presentation skills and
reflective practice are developed in a contextualized manner throughout the
programme. These skills are enhanced during the study days and through
work-based learning.
D Assessment Methods:
A variety of assessment methods are used to assess transferable skills.
These include problem solving exercises, reflection upon work-based
practice and the OSCE. These assignments are contextualised in A, B and
C above.
11 Programme Structure, Levels, Modules and Credits
12 Awards, Credits and Progression
The PgCert is offered as part-time structured distance learning with 12 days supervised practice, supported by 5
of Learning Outcomes
compulsory contact days at the University. The PgCert consists of four 15 credit courses at Masters level. Students
must be suitably qualified pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, podiatrists or radiographers and must register for
the full PgCert in prescribing.
Students completing the Post Graduate Certificate in Supplementary/ Independent Prescribing pathway may
progress towards an MSc in Medicines Management providing the 45 compulsory credits within the Medicines
Management Programme are completed as part of the credits obtained towards the diploma.
Students will be supported by the School with their learning as outlined in the student handbook.
Core Courses
Non-medical Prescribing in Context (15 credits)
Safe and Effective Prescribing (15 credits)
Consultation and Decision Making (15 credits)
Putting Prescribing Into Practice (15 credits)
PgCert 60 credits at M level
Pass: Minimum of 40% overall on each
course for marked assignments and a
pass on competency based assignments.
Distinction: not available on this
pathway.