Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists

The following entry requirements apply to all applicants:

• Pharmacists applying to undertake this postgraduate module must be currently practising, appropriately qualified to degree level, and be registered and in good standing with either the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (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 in training.

In order to evidence your relevant experience, the School of Pharmacy requests that you provide a copy of your current CV, together with a written statement (of no more than 800 words), summarising how your experiences within the roles or placements detailed within your CV have prepared you to undertake your training as a pharmacist independent prescriber. You must make reference to your patient-orientated/person-centred experience, clinical/therapeutic experience, and provide evidence of your continuing professional development (CPD).

In addition, you are also requested to provide a short reflection to demonstrate how your experiences have strengthened your understanding of the role of the prescriber and have supported how you recognise, understand, and articulate the skills and attributes of a prescriber.

• For the purposes of developing their independent prescribing practice, you must identify an area of clinical or therapeutic practice on which to base your learning.

• You must nominate a Designated Prescribing Practitioner who is willing to provide supervision and assessment for a minimum of 90 hours of supervised learning in practice. Your 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 you 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.

Important

Prospective applicants are advised to refer to the specific and detailed information within the School of Pharmacy's Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists guidance notes for applicants and Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPPs) prior to completing your application and the two written submissions in support of your application.

View Guidance Notes

There are mandatory requirements that your nominated DPP must evidence in order to demonstrate their suitability for this role, which relate to their clinical skills around patient assessment, diagnosis, independent prescribing experience and prescribing competency. They must also demonstrate experience in supervising and assessing healthcare practitioners. We therefore advise that you approach your nominated DPP early, so that they have the time necessary to fully engage with this process and provide the necessary information. Please do contact us if you or your nominated DPP would appreciate assistance or support with any aspect of the application process.

Please note that places offered on this short course are subject to all of the GPhC and University of Lincoln entry requirements detailed above being met. You will not be able to commence your short course if any of these requirements remain outstanding.