Professional/Short course Independent and/or Supplementary Prescribing
40 credit level 6 or level 7 module
Online applications are open for January 2025. Applications for September 2024 are now closed as our cohorts are full.
We are currently only accepting applications from our funded contracts. If you are a pharmacist, please select ‘Employer’ and, from the drop-down list, ‘Independent Prescribing for Pharmacist’ as your sponsor.
Page last updated 29 July 2024
Introduction
Important: Please ensure that you read the How to Apply notes section below before you apply online for this course. Additional forms to download can be found in the How to Apply section below.
Successful completion of this multi-professional programme requires learners to successfully pass the module, Independent and/or Supplementary Prescribing and will award successful candidates 40 Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) points.
To comply with regulator entry requirements, the Independent and/or Supplementary Prescribing programme for Pharmacists and Paramedics is offered at level 7 (LM - Masters Level).
Nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, dietitians, radiographers, chiropodists may enrol on either level 7 (LM) or level 6 (L3 - Degree Level).
If you are looking to undertake this as an aesthetic practitioner, you will need to meet the requirements listed in the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing: A framework document for aesthetic practitioners (PDF).
After successful completion of the independent prescribing module, there are opportunities for those wishing to continue with multi-professional education such as Physical Assessment and Clinical Reasoning; Pathophysiology and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advancing Practice.
Entry requirements
You must fulfil current entry requirements set by your regulatory body in relation to prescribing practice. The requirements have been incorporated into the Programme Application Form (PAF), therefore it is important that you read the PAF carefully and answer all questions.
Applicants can be sponsored by their employers or self-fund to undertake the programme. Pharmacists may be eligible for a HEE funded place. Please check to see if you can access that funding and then follow any instructions given.
Important: Please ensure that you read the How to Apply notes section below before you apply online for this course.
Careers / Further study
This course can contribute towards:
- BSc(Hons) Health and Social Care
- Postgraduate Certificate Health and Social Care
- Postgraduate Diploma Advanced Practice
- MSc Advanced Practice
- MSc Professional Development
- Postgraduate Diploma Professional Development
- Graduate Diploma Professional Development
- BSc(Hons) Professional Development
Structure
Content
This multi-professional programme combines the learning outcomes set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
These learning outcomes are appropriated to the individual learner's professions and proposed prescribing area ensuring that, on successful completion, the learners have undertaken an educational preparation which affords them the necessary skills and knowledge to practice as safe competent and autonomous prescribers.
A more detailed view of the learning outcomes and course content is seen within the module specifications below:
Learning and Teaching
The Independent and/or Supplementary Prescribing programme offers many opportunities for all professions to learn with and from each other both in the academic and practice settings. It is also recognised that nurses, AHPs and pharmacists have different pathways to registration, and develop different skills, experiences and competencies in practice before joining the prescribing programme.
As a result, each professional group is supported to develop different skills and knowledge to meet their profession-specific needs required before legal annotation as an independent and/or supplementary prescriber.
For nurses and AHPs, this may involve a greater focus on pharmacology principles, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, drug interactions, disease management and therapeutic decision making.
For pharmacists, this may mean a greater emphasis on clinical examination, assessment skills, and communication and consultation skills.
Thus, the well evaluated programme structure is borne from an understanding of the commonalities and of the uniqueness of the different professional groups whilst ensuring that all of the indicative content required by the regulatory bodies has been covered either during the online sessons or within directed learning activities.
Study time
The programme comprises of 26 days of learning. There are 14 online contact days and 12 directed learning days where learners are required to undertake set activities.
In addition, learners undertake 90 hours of supervised learning in practice. This programme requires a 100% attendance and approximately 400 hours of private study.
View a sample course structure.
Assessment
The assessment strategy within this module complies with regulatory requirements for independent prescribing.
The individual components of the assessment are non-negotiable and are regularly updated to reflect current changes in legislation. An updated list of assessments is available within the current module handbook.
To comply with the students regulatory body, assessments are non-compensatory. In addition, if students, by their omission or incorrect answer, would cause direct harm to a patient, then they must be referred.
Features
Study facilities
Get a feel for the Health Professions facilities we have on offer here from wherever you are.
Prices and dates
Supplementary fee information
Please visit full fee information to see the price brackets for our modules.
Please note priority will be given to applications received through our funded educational contracts.
Dates
View the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing timetable for course dates (PDF) which provides key date information for the September 2024 and January 2025 cohorts.
The assessment dates given within this document will be confirmed on the first day of the course.
How to apply
We need to receive all relevant documentation at least SIX weeks prior to the start of the course.
Important:
- You will need to arrange the completion of the Programme Application Form (PAF) and ensure that it is scanned and saved on your device before you apply online for the course. This form must be completed by yourself, your Designated Prescribing Supervisor (DPS), your Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) and your Non-Medical Prescribing Lead before your online application is submitted. There are links within the PAF to an online area which explains the different roles. If you fail to upload your document within 24 hours, your online application will be cancelled.
- Once your PAF is completed and saved, you can then use the Apply Now button.
- Select the course level of study and the date you have agreed with your employer.
- Select Apply for Course.
- If you are new to UWE Bristol CPD, you will need to register via the UWE Bristol Professional Development portal.
- If you have already registered on the Professional Development portal, sign in and complete the application.
- Once your application is submitted, please upload your saved PAF to your Professional Development portal, including any relevant paperwork required.
Please read the above instructions on how to apply before completing the Programme Application Form (the PAF will be available to download when the new course dates are published).
Download the Programme Application Form (PAF) for 2024-25 (DOCX).
Please refer to the DPP_DPS Guidance (PDF) which contains course guidance for your DPS and DPP. Should you have any further questions, please email the Programme Leader, Deborah Moreno-Chamorro (deborah2.moreno-chamorro@uwe.ac.uk) directly.
Priority will be given to applications received through our funded educational contracts.
Please read our Terms and Conditions.
Extra information
If the course you are applying for is fully online or blended learning, please note that you are expected to provide your own headsets/microphones.
For further information
- Email: pd@uwe.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81158
You can also follow us on Twitter @UWE_NMP.