PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
1. Awarding
Institution/Body:
2. Teaching
Institution:
University of Greenwich,
University of Kent
The Medway
School of
Pharmacy
3. Accredited by:
4. Final Award:
Fd Medicines
Management
5. Programme
Title/Department
6. UCAS Code:
7. QAA
Benchmarking
Gp(s):
Fd Medicines Management
/Medway School of Pharmacy
8. Educational Aims of the Programme: [Maximum 0f 150 words]
The overall aim of the Foundation Degree in Medicines Management is to equip pharmacy technicians to become confident, competent members of the healthcare team who can contribute to the delivery of the
medicines management agenda.
The programme achieves this aim by: Enabling technicians to take a more active role in their own professional development and in that of other staff; Imparting a detailed knowledge of the drivers for
modernisation in the NHS; Considering the pharmacy technician profession and the ethical implications of undertaking medicines management activities; Developing communication skills which can be applied
to a range of settings including patient consultation and education sessions for other staff involved in patient care; Providing an introduction to the concepts of medicine management; Providing a background
knowledge of therapeutics; Providing an in depth knowledge of drug use in key therapeutic areas; Developing transferable skills to facilitate personal development, including progression to honours and
postgraduate options, in particular the BSc. in Applied Professional Studies.
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:
Study skills
Portfolio formation
Reflective Practice and learning skills
Information Use and Retrieval
Problem solving principles
Professional Practice
Legal and ethics matters relating to dispensing
NHS drivers
Medicines management
Medication review
Concordance and compliance
Clinical governance in the context of medicines management
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics
Adverse drug reactions
Drug interactions
Public Health and its role in improving the health of the nation
Effective methods of working with patients and other health care professionals
Practical therapeutics
Project planning
B Intellectual skills:
Problem solving
Awareness of limitations
Application of theory to practice
Apply in patient settings the knowledge and understanding required to meet the needs of the patients and other
health care professionals
Collecting back ground information which can be applied in practice
Production of Pharmacy-specific documentation
Intellectual skills are developed through reflective practice and learning activities
A Teaching and learning:
Print based distance learning to incorporate work-based assignments and work-based portfolio
Study days consisting of practice-based scenarios, group work, case studies and lectures.
A Assessment Methods:
The assessment methods associated with each course are given in the course specifications.
Each course is assessed by a combination of assignments including portfolio entries, multiple
choice questions, an OSCE presentations and case histories. The nature of the assignments is
appropriate to the subject areas and learning outcomes outlined in the course specification
forms.
B Teaching and learning
Intellectual skills are developed through reflective practice and learning activities.
B Assessment Methods: Methods used to assess intellectual skills include work-based
assignments and work-based portfolio
C Subject Practical skills
Planning, conducting, evaluating and reporting the results of investigations, including the use of secondary data in
this process
Ensuring the accuracy of dispensed items
Medication review skills
Recording interventions
Using appropriate medicines information sources to resolve patients counselling queries.
Effective consultations
Monitoring patient response against objectives and within limitations
Appropriate recording and communication of medicines management interventions
Production of professional documentation
C Teaching and learning
Subject practical skills will be developed in a co-ordinated and progressive manner
throughout the programme.
D Transferable/ key skills:
Effective written and verbal communication
Interpersonal skills: the ability to interact with patients, public and healthcare professionals
The ability to understand the dangers of decision making based on incomplete information
Competent in the use of IT (word processing, spreadsheet, database use, archiving information and information
retrieval
Internet communication
Able to work independently and as part of a team
Time management and organisation
Positive attitude and constructive approach to group discussions
Listening to and appreciating the views of others
Reflective practice
Working within professional codes of practice and conduct
Recognising the moral and ethical issues related to the subject
Taking responsibility for one’s actions
Taking a responsible attitude to academic and personal career development
The ability to keep up to date
Understanding the need for CPD
Ability to operate within a quality management framework
D Teaching and learning
Computer, 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. Computer
centred and information retrieval exercises are incorporated at all stages of the programme.
C Assessment Methods:
Practical skills will be assessed as part of the reflective learning within the student’s work
place.
D Assessment Methods:
A variety of assessment methods are used to assess transferable skills. These include problem
solving exercises and reflection upon communication in practice. These assignments are
contextualised in A, B and C above.
11 Programme Structure, Levels, Modules and Credits
PART TIME MODE
12 Awards, Credits and Progression
of Learning Outcomes (shown in
Field 9)
The Fd Medicines Management is offered only in the part-time mode. Students may choose to study one or more courses as part of professional development or to take
the full award. In line with the Foundation Degree Framework there is provision for the student who has achieved the award of Fd Medicines Management to achieve
full honours within 1.3 years in BSc Applied Professional Studies.
MM
240 credits
3
Compulsory
Practitioner project (20 credits)
Therapeutics 4: Mental health/diabetes (20 credits)
Therapeutics 3: Respiratory (20 credits)
Therapeutics 2: cardiovascular (20 credits)
2
Compulsory
Medication management for technicians (40 credits)
Introduction to therapeutics (20 credits)
Therapeutics 1: GI and Pain (20 credits)
Cert HE
120 credits
Compulsory
CertProfDev
1
Patient consultation skills (20 credits)
Working in NHS teams (20 credits)
Problem solving as a professional (20 credits)
Optional
Dispensary checking for technicians (20 credits)
Supporting Medicines Management in Primary Care (20 credits)
Students completing courses
of 30-60 credits are eligible
for Certificate of
Professional Development.