• Continuing professional development (CPD)

Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (NMC and HCPC Approved)

CPD Level 7
Overview

Overview

This accredited course aims to prepare registered nurses (Level 1), midwives, paramedics and physiotherapists with the knowledge, understanding and skills to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost-effectively as an independent and supplementary prescriber. 

In a healthcare culture that is fostering greater multi-professional working, both the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and HCPC confirmed alignment with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) Prescribing Competency Framework. Therefore this course clearly maps its learning outcomes against the RPS competency framework.

The course is offered at both our West London and Reading campuses.

Professional accreditation

  • This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) - Standards of proficiency for nurse and midwife prescribers (2006)
  • This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) – Standards for prescribing (2019).

Credits: 40

Cost and funding: This fee covers the full course cost.

  • Sept 24 - Aug 25 fees: £1800
  • Sept 25 - Aug 26 fees: TBC

Assessment method: Folder of evidence 50% and reflective case study 50% - more info below.

Future Intakes

Please note, applications for this course are currently closed. The details for the next course will be published shortly, at which point the course will be open to book.

A team of nurses
Locations this course is taught at:
West London Campus
Berkshire Institute for Health
Study dates and times

Study dates and times

This course is taught on day release, select a start date to see the study days:

The course is based on part-time study for six months and combines online, face-to-face delivery and self-study days. Study days are from 9am to 5pm. Please note: all bank holidays are self-study days.

How you will be assessed

You will attend 26 study days (12 days in University and 14 days directed learning). In addition, you undertake 90 hours (12 x 7.5hr days) of supervised practice.

In a healthcare culture that is fostering greater multi-professional working, groups may include Nurses, Midwives, Physiotherapists and Paramedic Learners.

The assessment for this course is:

  1. Folder of evidence 50%
  2. Reflective case study 50%
  3. Written exam (multiple choice and short answer questions) – course requirement
  4. Structured Clinical Examination in Practice (SCEP) – course requirement
  5. Drug Calculation exam – course requirement.

All five elements must be passed in order to pass the course overall. Plus satisfactory completion of the 26 study days and 90 hours supervised time in practice. 

NB Course requirements must be passed, but not all contribute to the overall course mark.

Course details

Course details

The course will address the following areas:

  • Consultation, decision-making and therapy, including referral 
  • Influences on and psychology of prescribing 
  • Prescribing in a team context 
  • Clinical pharmacology, including the effects of co-morbidity 
  • Evidence-based practice and clinical governance in relation to prescribing 
  • Legal, policy and ethical aspects 
  • Professional accountability and responsibility 
  • Prescribing in the public health context 
  • Physiology, pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics related to:
  • Nervous system
  • Cardiovascular system
  • Respiratory system
  • Renal system
  • Gastrointestinal system
  • Endocrine system 
  • Integumentary system
  • Immunology.

Paramedic or physiotherapist

Successful completion of this course will lead to eligibility for a paramedic/physiotherapist to become annotated with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as an independent and supplementary prescriber.

Nurse or midwife 

Successful completion of this course will lead to eligibility for a nurse/midwife to become annotated with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as an independent and supplementary prescriber. This is sometimes known as a ‘V300’, from the code that is used to enter the annotation onto the NMC register indicating successful completion of an NMC-approved prescribing programme that gives the registrant independent/supplementary prescriber status.

Practice-based learning

Practice-based learning is integral to the course. The structure and duration of practice-based learning support the learning outcomes and the standards of your professional body.

In the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing module you must spend 90 hours (12 days of 7.5 hours) learning in your own practice environment – this will help you develop profession-specific knowledge and skills. Your identified Practice Educator will help facilitate this learning by:

  • Providing dedicated time and opportunities for you to observe how the Practice Educator conducts a consultation or interview with patient/clients and/or parents/carers, and develops a management plan 
  • Allowing opportunities for you to carry out consultations and suggest clinical management and prescribing options, which you will discuss with your Practice Educator 
  • Helping ensure you integrate theory with practice
  • Taking opportunities to allow in-depth discussion and analysis of clinical management using a random case analysis approach, when patient/client care and prescribing behaviour can be examined further 
  • Assessing and verifying that, by the end of the course, you are competent to assume the prescribing role.

You will not need to be supervised throughout your practice-based learning by the Practice Educator – other clinicians could be involved. The Practice Educator would be responsible for assessing whether learning outcomes have been achieved.

In addition, it may be useful to establish a ‘buddy link’ with either a paramedic, physiotherapist or pharmacist prescriber.  

Most students will learn in their own practice environment. Where it is necessary to undertake practice-based learning in another organisation, you will travel there at your own expense and this is an additional cost to the course fee. You will also be responsible for arranging and paying for any accommodation or insurance related to travel, to practice-based learning settings.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

HCPC Registrants (Paramedics/Physiotherapists only) must:

  • Be a registered Paramedic or Physiotherapist, whose name is held on the relevant part of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration record (evidenced by submission of your registration number). This course is not available to other HCPC registrants. Paramedics must normally have at least three years relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical area in which they will be prescribing and be working at an advanced level of clinical practice. Physiotherapists must normally have at least three years relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical area in which they will be prescribing.
     
  • Be professionally practising in an environment where there is a need identified by your employer for you to regularly use independent prescribing or supplementary prescribing.
     
  • Hold a degree from a UK university or equivalent, or in the case of non-graduates, be able to demonstrate equivalent academic ability and professional experience. 
     
  • Have reached agreement with a Practice Educator to provide 90 hours (12 days) of supervised practice. The Practice Educator must be recognised by the employer as having:
    - experience in the relevant field of practice
    - training and experience in the supervision, support and assessment of trainees and agreed to provide you with opportunities to develop competence in prescribing, and supervise, support and assess you during your practice experience.
  • Be able to demonstrate support from your employer/sponsor who will confirm (via a supplementary application form):
    - that your post is one in which you will have the need and opportunity to act as an independent or supplementary prescriber
    - you will have appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area in which you are expected to prescribe 
    - appropriate medicines governance/clinical governance arrangements are in place to support safe and effective independent and supplementary prescribing 
    - you have successfully completed a history-taking and assessment course or be deemed competent in practice to take a history and make a diagnosis for the conditions for which they will prescribe*.
    - there is a current satisfactory full enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (within the last three years). All applicants will need to provide a copy of their enhanced DBS check before an offer can be made.
    - have the confirmed agreement from your employer's Prescribing Education lead in order to undertake the course.

*Alternatively the History Taking and Physical Examination L7 course may be undertaken at UWL.

All students on this course are registered with the HCPC, as such, they should meet the IELTS requirements of their professional body.

HCPC - An overall IELTS (International English Language Testing System) of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening​

NMC Registrants (Nurses or Midwives) must:

  • Be a Registered Nurse (Level 1) or Registered Midwife whose name is held on the relevant part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register (evidenced by submission of your Pin number). This course is not available to Nursing Associate registrants.
     
  • Have at least one years' experience as a practising nurse or midwife and be deemed competent by your employer to undertake the course. Be professionally practising in an environment where there is a need identified by your employer for you to regularly use independent prescribing or supplementary prescribing.
     
  • Hold a degree from a UK university or equivalent, or in the case of non-graduates, be able to demonstrate equivalent academic ability and professional experience. 
     
  • Have reached agreement with a practice assessor to provide 90 hours (12 days) of supervised practice. The practice assessor must be a registered healthcare professional and an experienced prescriber with:
    - experience in the relevant field of practice
    - provide you with opportunities to develop competence in prescribing
    - supervise, support and assess you during your practice experience.
     
  • Be able to demonstrate support from your employer/sponsor who will confirm (via a supplementary application form):
    - that your post is one in which you will have the need and opportunity to act as an independent or supplementary prescriber.
    - you will also usually have a nominated practice supervisor (in exceptional circumstances the practice supervisor and practice assessor roles may be undertaken by the same healthcare professional but evidence will need to be provided to explain why this is necessary). Your practice supervisor and practice assessor will ensure appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area in which you are expected to prescribe.
    - appropriate medicines governance/clinical governance arrangements are in place to support safe and effective independent and supplementary prescribing.
    - you have successfully completed a history-taking and assessment course or be deemed competent in practice to take a history and make a diagnosis for the conditions for which they will prescribe*.
    - there is a current satisfactory full enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (within the last three years). All applicants will need to provide a copy of their enhanced DBS check before an offer can be made.
    - have the confirmed agreement from the employer's Non-Medical Prescribing lead in order to undertake the course.

*Alternatively the History Taking and Physical Examination L7 course may be undertaken at UWL.

All students on this course are registered with the NMC, as such they should meet the IELTS requirements of their professional body.

NMC - An overall IELTS (International English Language Testing System) of 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 in Speaking, Reading and Listening and 6.5 in writing

OR

OET (Occupational English Test) B grade in listening and reading and writing and speaking (we can only accept results of tests taken from Feb 2016 onwards.​

Detailed guidance on the admissions process can be found in  our admissions guide (.docx 66kb)

Cost and funding

Cost and funding

This cost covers the full course fee.

Funding may be via your employer/sponsor or self-funding. This must be confirmed and agreed at the point of application. 

Please note, if you are self-funding your employer/sponsor will still need to complete the additional application form, for your application to be considered.

The recent announcement from the Government about the release of additional funding for healthcare workers CPD may mean there will be help with funding your studies.

If you have completed a three-year undergraduate degree at UWL you are entitled to an alumni discount.

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Study and career progression

Study and career progression

This can be taken as a standalone course or the credits can be used towards one of the courses below:

  • PG Cert Clinical Practice (Independent and Supplementary Prescribing) 
  • PG Dip/MSc Clinical Practice (badged awards available)
  • MSc Advanced Clinical Practice 
  • MSc Advanced Professional Practice (badged awards available).
How to apply

How to apply

Applications currently closed

Find out more about the admissions process for this course (.docx, 66kb)

We recommend your application is submitted to the University at least six weeks prior to the start of the course.

As part of the application process you be required to upload the following documents:

Please submit your pin number (NMC registrants)/registration number (HCPC registrants) to the online application form for checking by the Course Leader.

Applications submitted without this information will not be processed. 

After your application is accepted and you have been offered a place on the course, you will be sent information about how to enrol. You must complete enrolment before your course starts.

Contact us

For more information about our CPD courses please get in touch with Dr Claire Anderson, Associate Dean (Berkshire), College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare:

Browse more CPD courses

A team of nurses

Find out more about Continuing Professional Development with the College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare and see the range of courses on offer.

Browse our CPD courses