• Postgraduate

Clinical Practice (Independent and Supplementary Prescribing) PgCert

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Overview

Overview

This clinical practice course aims to prepare you with the knowledge, understanding and skills to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost-effectively as an independent and supplementary prescriber. 

It is intended for

  • registered nurses (level 1)
  • midwives
  • paramedics
  • physiotherapists. 

The course is designed to enable you to meet the following standards:

  • the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2016) ‘A Competency Framework for all Prescribers’
  • Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards for Prescribing (2019)* / Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards of Proficiency for Nurse and Midwife Prescribers (2006)**.

This course is run at the West London campus, but it is also offered at our Berkshire Institute for Health in Reading.

*This course is subject to approval by the HCPC. 

**The Independent and Supplementary Prescribing module is currently approved by the NMC. 
 

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Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Locations this course is taught at:
West London Campus (also offered in Reading)
Berkshire Institute for Health
Why study Clinical Practice (Independent and Supplementary Prescribing) with us?

Why study Clinical Practice (Independent and Supplementary Prescribing) with us?

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What our students say…

UWL has truly state-of-the-art facilities. I feel like I'm learning something new every day.

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Top modern university London for nursing Times and Sunday Times 2023
Option to study in London or Reading
This course has simulation centres in London and Reading
Lifelong careers support from the UWL Careers Service.
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

This new course reflects the current climate in healthcare where a range of health professionals acquire the knowledge and skills to manage an entire clinical episode, both non-pharmacologically and pharmacologically, of a patient’s presentation.

This clinically-focused award has been designed to have significant impact on your practice. 

Learning methods

Learning will take place in a multi-professional environment that will value your prior knowledge, skills and life experience. It will encompass:

  • learning in University with other professional groups (nurses, midwives, paramedics, physiotherapists)
  • learning in profession-specific groups
  • practice-based learning in your area of work or placements organised by your employer.

We use a wide range of approaches to learning and teaching, including:

  • technology enhanced learning
  • lectures and seminars
  • action learning sets
  • simulated learning
  • forum theatre
  • service user and carer involvement
  • inter-professional learning
  • practice-based learning
  • critical reflection
  • critical analysis and synthesis of evidence.
Assessment

The module assessments are designed to fit the learning outcomes of the course and meet the requirements of your professional body. They will enable you to demonstrate you are consistently competent and capable of the role, both academically and in real-life complex and dynamic service environments.

Duration

This course lasts 9 months. The maximum period of enrolment is 2 years.

Practice-based learning

Practice-based learning is integral to the course. The structure and duration of practice-based learning supports 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 learning outcomes have been achieved.

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

Further information:

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 any practice-based learning settings.

Compulsory modules

  • History Taking and Physical Assessment

    The module aims to develop the skills required to conduct a patient consultation: take a patient history, perform a physical examination, gather clinical data and accurately record findings. The practitioner will identify negative and positive findings, respond to clinical ‘red flags’ appropriately, and communicate clearly with professional colleagues.

    The assessment for this module is:

    • Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) – course requirement
    • Written Assignment – 100%.

    You must pass both elements of the assessment to pass the module overall. 

  • Independent and Supplementary Prescribing

    The module will explore the underpinning principles and concepts related to prescribing:

    • Consultation, decision-making and therapy including referral 
    • Influences on and psychology of prescribing 
    • Prescribing in a team context 
    • Clinical pharmacology, including the effects on 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 content 
    • Physiology, pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutic relations to: 
    • Nervous system 
    • Cardiovascular system 
    • Respiratory system 
    • Renal system
    • Gastrointestinal system
    • Endocrine system 
    • Integumentary system 
    • Immunology

    The assessment for this module 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

    You must pass all 5 elements in order to pass the course overall, plus satisfactory completion of the 26 study days and 90 hours supervised time in practice. 
     

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for HCPC Registrants (paramedics and physiotherapists only) 
Registration

You must be a registered paramedic or physiotherapist, whose name must be held on the relevant part of the HCPC registration record (evidenced by submission of your registration number). This course is not available to other HCPC registrants.

Professional practice 

Paramedics must normally have at least 3 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 3 years relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical are in which they will be prescribing. 

You must 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.

Academic qualifications

You must 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. 

Supervised practice agreement

You must have reached agreement with a Practice Educator to provide 90 hours (12 days of 7.5 hours) 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.

The Practice Educator must have agreed:

  • to provide you with opportunities to develop competence in prescribing
  • to supervise, support and assess you during your practice experience.
Employer / sponsor support

You must be able to demonstrate support from your employer/sponsor, who will confirm via a supplementary application form - docx, 73kb):

  • 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 you will prescribe*
  • you have a current satisfactory full enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (within the last 3 years). You will need to provide a copy of your enhanced DBS check before an offer can be made
  • you have the confirmed agreement from your employer's Prescribing Education lead in order to undertake the course.

*Alternatively you can take the History Taking and Physical Examination course (Level 7) at the University of West London.

English language

All students on this course are registered with the HCPC, so you should meet their English language requirements.

The HCPC requires an overall IELTS of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening.

Entry requirements for NMC Registrants (nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses only) 
Registration

You must be a Registered Nurse (level 1), Registered Midwife or Specialist Community Public Health Nurse 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.

Professional practice 

You must have at least one year's experience as a practising nurse, midwife or specialist community public health nurse and be deemed competent by your employer to undertake the course.  You must 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.

Academic qualifications

You must 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. 

Supervised practice agreement

You must have reached agreement with a practice assessor to provide 90 hours (12 days of 7.5 hours) 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 the student with opportunities to develop competence in prescribing
  • supervise, support and assess the student during their practice experience.
Employer / sponsor support

You must 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 you will prescribe*
  • you have a current satisfactory full enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (within the last 3 years). You will need to provide a copy of your enhanced DBS check before an offer can be made
  • you have confirmed agreement from your employer's Non-Medical Prescribing lead in order to undertake the course.

*Alternatively you can take the History Taking and Physical Examination course (Level 7) at the University of West London.

English Language

All students on this course are registered with the NMC, so you should meet their English language requirements.

The NMC requires :

  • an overall IELTS 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, reading, writing and speaking (we can only accept results of tests taken from February 2016 onwards).

Detailed guidance on the admissions process (.docx, 85kb)

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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Cost: £900 per 20 credits

There may be additional costs (not included in the course fees), such as:

  • travel to placements and any accommodation or insurance costs associated with this
  • travel to University 
  • translation of documents not written in English by a professional translator (ie documents used to support request for extenuation)
  • stationary
  • fines as a result of any overdue library books
  • colour printing/photocopying
  • attendance at graduation ceremony.

This list is not exhaustive and you may incur other costs.

To study this course, you may be funded by your employer or you may need to fund your own studies.

For full information on fees and funding please contact Claire.Anderson@uwl.ac.uk.

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 Government has released information regarding additional funding for NHS healthcare workers CPD.

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Anosha Sirpath image

Dr Anosha Sirpath

Anosha is teaching Independent and Supplementary Prescribing, Foundations of Evidence in Nursing Practice (FENP), Promoting Health and Preventing Ill Health (PHPI), Introduction to Understanding Health and illness (IUH&I) 

Anosha is teaching Independent and Supplementary Prescribing, Foundations of Evidence in Nursing Practice (FENP), Promoting Health and Preventing Ill Health (PHPI), Introduction to Understanding Health and illness (IUH&I) 

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A male nurse smiling at camera

Career progression for a paramedic or physiotherapist

Successful completion of this clinical practice 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.

Career progression for a nurse, midwife or specialist community public health nurse

Successful completion of this clinical practice course will lead to eligibility for a nurse/midwife/specialist community public health nurse 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.

Study progression

Our portfolio of Masters and Clinical Doctorate/PhD courses will support your career development.

How to apply

How to apply

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Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2022 and 2023 - Based on an average of all 27 questions. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.