Overview
This is a well-established and successful independent/supplementary prescribing programme for pharmacists,
nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, podiatrists, radiographers and dietitians.
It is a part-time, blended learning programme which leads to you qualifying as an independent prescriber (community and primary care
pharmacists, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, podiatrists, paramedics and
therapeutic radiographers) or as a supplementary prescriber (diagnostic
radiographers and dietitians). You develop the knowledge and skills to
practise as prescribers and to meet the standards set by your respective
professional/regulatory body. Available as eight or 12 months duration. Also
available at Level 6 for nurses/midwives.
Is this programme right for me?
If you are a pharmacist, nurse, midwife, physiotherapist, podiatrist, radiographer or dietitian looking to become a prescriber this is the programme you are looking for.
We also run a 40-credit module as part of the University of Greenwich MSc Advanced Clinical Practice. If you are part of this Greenwich programme and have selected the Prescribing module then you do also need to complete our Prescribing Application form.
We are no longer recruiting for the Clinically Enhanced Prescribing Programme, pharmacists working in hospital, mental health and community trusts, and CCG pharmacists are eligible for this programme.
Hospital Pharmacists in the HEE LaSE area are eligible for funding for the Prescribing programme when taken in conjunction with our Clinical Consultation Assessment and Diagnosis short course module.
Entry points and application deadlines
We have two different programme lengths to choose from. You can study over the REGULAR eight months or choose the EXTENDED programme over 12 months. Priority for the regular length programme will be given to those with a clearly defined scope of practice. The extended programme is for all those who may prefer, or who will benefit from, a longer period of study. It is especially suitable for those studying at Level 6 and community pharmacists.
All application forms are to be emailed to pgtpharmadmin@kent.ac.uk
Please do not post any application forms.
Cohorts for academic year (2022/2023):
- January 2023 (08 month version) - deadline 21 October 2022
- February 2023 (12 month version - deadline 25 November 2022
- April 2023 (08 month version) - deadline 20 January 2023
- June 2023 (12 month version) - deadline 25 March 2023
You can find upcoming cohort dates under Course Structure
You can find upcoming cohort dates under Course Structure
All dates and deliveries subject to change.
Hospital Pharmacists in HEE LaSE Area
Your applications deadlines are different as you are also applying for our Clinical Consultation Assessment and Diagnosis Module. Please check the application form.
Teaching
The Prescribing Programme is delivered by distance learning with a total of nine in person study days at the University, plus 12 days clinical practice, overseen by a Practice Supervisor (nurses and midwives only)/designated prescribing practitioner (DPP).
About Medway School of Pharmacy
Medway School of Pharmacy is one of the few regional schools of pharmacy in the UK, a collaboration between the University of Kent and the University of Greenwich.
The impetus for the formation of the Medway School of Pharmacy came from the local community, who recognised the shortage of qualified pharmacists in all branches of the pharmacy profession in Kent.
The School is now recognised as an established school with accreditation from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Graduates are employed in health disciplines in Kent and the south-east and more broadly across the UK.
National ratings
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, research by the School of Pharmacy was ranked 8th in the UK for research intensity.
An impressive 100% of our research-active staff submitted to the REF and 93% of our research was judged to be of international quality, with 81% of this judged world-leading or internationally excellent. The School’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of world-leading research.
Course structure
Take the Independent / Supplementary Prescribing programme as a standalone qualification; OR continue on to Medicines Optimisation. The prescribing programme can be used as either the first or second year of the Medicines Optimisation qualification. You will need to apply for the Prescribing Programme separately to the Medicines Optimisation Programme. Acceptance onto one programme does not guarantee acceptance onto the other.
On successful completion, the School notifies the appropriate professional / regulatory body that you have qualified as an independent / supplementary prescriber.
The dates for the cohorts that are coming up are as follows:
2022/2023 entry
Cohort 62 (January 2023)
- Tuesday 17 January 2023
- Wednesday 18 January 2023
- Thursday 19 January 2023
- Tuesday 07 March 2023
- Wednesday 08 March 2023
- Thursday 09 March 2023
- Tuesday 23 May 2023
- Wednesday 24 May 2023
- Thursday 25 May 2023
- Assessment days: 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 July 2023 (students will be allocated one of these days once they commence on the programme)
Application deadline 21 October 2022
Cohort 63 (February 2023)
- Tuesday 31 January 2023
- Wednesday 01 February 2023
- Thursday 02 February 2023
- Tuesday 25 April 2023
- Wednesday 26 April 2023
- Tuesday 11 July 2023
- Wednesday 12 July 2023
- Tuesday 17 October 2023
- Wednesday 18 October 2023
- Assessment days: 06, 07, 08, 09 November 2023 (students will be allocated one of these days once they commence on the programme)
Application deadline 25 November 2022
Cohort 64 (April 2023)
- Tuesday 18 April 2023
- Wednesday 19 April 2023
- Thursday 20 April 2023
- Tuesday 27 June 2023
- Wednesday 28 June 2023
- Thursday 29 June 2023
- Tuesday 12 September 2023
- Wednesday 13 September 2023
- Thursday 14 September 2023
- Assessment days: 28, 29, 30 November 2023 (students will be allocated one of these days once they commence on the programme)
Application deadline 20 January 2023
Cohort 65 (June 2023)
- Tuesday 06 June 2023
- Wednesday 07 June 2023
- Thursday 08 June 2023
- Tuesday 05 September 2023
- Wednesday 06 September 2023
- Tuesday 21 November 2023
- Wednesday 22 November 2023
- Tuesday 13 February 2023
- Wednesday 14 February 2023
- Assessment days: 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 March 2024 (students will be allocated one of these days once they commence on the programme)
Application deadline 25 March 2023
You need to be available to attend all of the study days. All Study days are delivered in person at our Medway Campus.
You will be allocated a PAPP date on one of the listed assessment days. Pharmacists will need to attend the Medway Campus for the PAPP assessment in person.
Please ensure you are available for all the study day PAPP and exam dates before applying.
These dates are subject to change.
Modules
The programme consists of four compulsory modules at either level 7 or level 6.
Level 7
- Non-medical Prescribing in Context (15 credits)- nurses and AHPs
OR
- Non-medical Prescribing in Context for pharmacists (15 credits)- pharmacists only
AND
- Safe and Effective Prescribing (15 credits)
- Consultation and Decision Making (15 credits)
- Putting Prescribing into Practice (15 credits)
Level 6
- Background to Non-medical Prescribing (10 credits)
- Prescribing Safely and Effectively (10 credits)
- Embedding Prescribing in your Consultations (10 credits)
- The Practice of Prescribing (15 credits)
No modules information available for this delivery.
Teaching and Assessment
Each module and its assessments are applied to your scope of
practice. All of the assessments are different in focus and require different
things from you. You are given feedback on your work before your next
assignment is due to be submitted.
Module 1
Case Study: written assignment using a patient case to
demonstrate a systematic understanding of relevant frameworks, including
budgetary constraints at national and local level.
Legislative Essay: written assignment reviewing the changes
in legislation in relation to prescribing and the impact in regards to accountability
and responsibility.
Module 2
Exam: includes sections on Numeracy, Using the BNF and
Pharmacology pre-seen essay element to demonstrate the required knowledge,
understanding and skills.
Module 3
Evidence Based Medicine: written assignment analysing the
primary evidence as it applies to a specific patient within your scope of
practice.
Practical Assessment of Prescribing Practice: a
high-fidelity clinical situation tailored to your individual scope of practice.
Module 4
Narrative: written assignment used to explain how your
portfolio demonstrates that you have met the requirements for the programme.
Portfolio of evidence: demonstrating how you
have met the prescribing competencies, learning outcomes and professional
requirements for your regulatory body (NMC, HCPC, GPhC)
The type of assessments are the same for each version of the modules (level 6 or level 7).
Programme aims
This programme aims to:
- prepare pharmacists to practice as independent/ supplementary prescribers
- prepare nurses and midwives to practice as independent/ supplementary prescribers
- develop the knowledge and skills required by an allied health professional to practice as a supplementary prescriber
- meet the standards set by the respective professional or regulatory body as required within the legislative framework.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You will gain 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.
Intellectual skills
You develop intellectual skills in:
- reviewing and critically evaluating best available evidence relevant to a specified area of prescribing practice, synthesising information from key sources and databases
- integrating previous learning with professional skills and expertise to synthesise innovative approaches to implementing extended independent/supplementary prescribing in practice
- further developing the skills to review and critically analyse your own learning and apply this to enhance your role as a non-medical prescriber
- making sound judgements about prescribing issues in the absence of complete data and communicating conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in:
- consultation 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.
Transferable skills
You will gain the following transferable skills:
- critical self-reflection and the ability to enhance professional competence on the basis of feedback from self and others
- communicating with clarity in both the academic and professional setting to a range of audiences and using a variety of approaches
- effectively managing and presenting complex information using a comprehensive range of learning resources
- autonomous learning and accessing professional resources including others as appropriate.
Study support
Postgraduate resources
Postgraduate students have access to all the facilities at the Medway School of Pharmacy, including clinical skills labs and a ‘simulation man’. As the School of Pharmacy is a joint venture between the two universities, students have access to facilities at Kent’s Medway and Canterbury campuses, and the University of Greenwich.
Distance learning
While on a distance learning programme you need to be able
to organise your time carefully and negotiate with your workplace on how this
programme will work for you and your employer. We will provide you with a
comprehensive list of dates for submission to help you plan your placement time
and to help you negotiate study leave so you can complete your assignments and
portfolio.
You will already possess most, if not all, of the required
skills such as navigating around a webpage or attaching a file and uploading
this to a website or email. The academic skills required will depend on your
level of study and how recently you last studied. The universities have good
resources that you can access to help you rediscover or reinvigorate these
skills as needed.
Getting to grips with the virtual learning
environment (Moodle) early will be really useful to you. This is where the
course is delivered. You will be able to get feedback at regular intervals to
help you with your assignments, access practice quizzes and examples of the
assessments, revisit lecture material when it suits you and download Course
Study Guides & Workbooks for each of the four modules within the programme.
Guides
Please have a look at the following guides:
Global Skills Award
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
Careers
There is a high and rising demand for a range of healthcare professionals to qualify as non-medical prescribers. There are career opportunities for both non-medical prescribing nurse practitioners and pharmacists in GP surgeries or other primary care settings and enhanced options for radiographers, physiotherapists, podiatrists and dietitians with the prescribing qualification.
Professional recognition
Accreditation with the GPhC, HCPC or the NMC as a non-medical prescriber
Entry requirements
- Registration with the appropriate professional/regulatory body (NMC, GPhC, PSNI or HCPC)
- Appropriate experience in the area of practice in which they will be prescribing
- The ability to study at academic level 6 or level 7
- Nurses and Midwives: At least one year's post-registration clinical experience in the UK. This includes all nurse (level 1), midwife or SCPHN registrants (including NHS, self-employed or non-NHS employed registrants) at the point of application
- Pharmacists: At least two years' post-registration clinical experience in the UK at the point of applying
- Allied Health Professionals (excluding Paramedics) At least three years' post-registration clinical experience in the UK at the point of applying
- Advanced Paramedic Practitioners: College of Paramedics recommend that paramedics are registered and qualified for at least five years with at least three years' relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical area in which they will be prescribing
- Advanced Paramedic Practitioners will normally have evidence in their application that they have completed or are working towards a Master's qualification (level 7
- Appropriate numeracy skills, clinical/health assessment, diagnostics/care management and planning and evaluation of care in their intended area of prescribing practice.
- Support from the sponsoring organisation confirming service need, indicating the necessary governance structures are in place (including clinical support, access to protected learning time and employer support where appropriate) to enable the students to undertake and be adequately supported throughout the programme. Access to appropriate supervised practice, and a prescribing budget to meet the costs of prescriptions on completion of training
- A named practice supervisor (nurses and midwives); designated medical practitioner (pharmacists); practice educator
(AHPs), who will facilitate, supervise and support the student during their
clinical placement
Please note students need to be in active clinical practice to be on this programme of study. The longest period of time a student can be out of clinical practice while on the programme is 2 consecutive weeks. This means that if you are on maternity leave, secondment or sabbatical, you are not currently eligible to undertake the programme of study. Please apply when you return to work.
While we welcome applications with a focus on aesthetics, we recommend a broader scope than botulinum.
General entry requirements
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
International students
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
English language entry requirements
The University requires all non-native speakers of English to reach a
minimum standard of proficiency in written and spoken English before
beginning a postgraduate degree. Certain subjects require a higher
level.
For detailed information see our English language requirements web pages.
Need help with English?
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language
condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for
Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
Research areas
Chemistry and drug delivery
This group has laboratories with dedicated state-ofthe art drug delivery, nanotechnology, spectroscopy, chromatography and organic synthesis facilities. It brings together researchers in medicinal chemistry and drug design, nanotechnology and materials science, drug delivery and pharmaceutics encouraging a multidisciplinary approach to research. Research covers synthesis and biological evaluation of potential anti-cancer agents, structurebased drug design, QSAR predication of ADMET properties, controlled release, particle engineering, powder technology, pharmaceutical technology, and novel drug delivery systems, with a focus on respiratory drug delivery.
Biological sciences
This group is housed in recently refurbished laboratories with dedicated state-of-the-art molecular biological, electrophysiological, tissue culture and microscopy facilities. The research is divided into four main themes; infectious diseases and allergy; neuroscience; renal and cardiovascular physiology; and pharmacology. Examples of current work include: investigation of the use of non-pathogenic virus ‘pseudotypes’ to study pathogenic RNA, study of the properties of neuronal potassium channels and their modulation and the development of new therapies for patients that have developed acute kidney injury in collaboration with a major pharmaceutical company.
Pharmacy practice
This group conducts research in two areas: public health and medicines optimisation, with a particular focus on cardiovascular diseases and mental health. Work in public health includes studies in physical exercise, alcohol, cardiovascular screening and spirometry testing, plus pharmacovigilance. Studies in medicines optimisation include work in dementia, bipolar disorder and stroke, with an emphasis on the patient perspective.
Staff research interests
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.
