All entrants to the programme must meet all the following requirements:

1. Be registered with the Health & Care Professionals Council in one of the relevant Allied Health Professions (podiatrist/chiropodist/physiotherapist)

2. Be professionally practising in an environment where there is an identified need for the individual to regularly use independent/supplementary prescribing

3. Be able to demonstrate support from their employer/sponsor including confirmation that the entrant will have appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area in which they are expected to prescribe

4. Have an approved designated medical practitioner, normally recognised by the employing/Health service commissioning organisation a) as having experience in a relevant field of practice, b) training and experience in the supervision, support and assessment of trainees, c) who has agreed to- provide the student with opportunities to develop competencies in prescribing - supervise, support and assess the student during their clinical placement

5. Must have at least 3 years relevant post-qualification experience and able to study at academic level 7

Have a current BDS (within last 3 months)

a) Personal portfolio of prescribing development, word limit 6000: module mark weighting 80%, fulfilment of LO's 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8

b) Exam - written examination one hour in length inclusive of reading time, which includes multiple choice question paper and short answers with a pass mark of 80% pass or fail. Module mark weighting 0%. Fulfilment of LO 3

c) Exam-numeracy 30 minutes in length inclusive of reading time pass mark 100% pass/fail module mark weighting 0% LO 1

d) OSCE exam 30mins which includes consultation skills, drug calculations and prescription writing. Fulfilment of LO's 1, 2 and 3 pass or fail

e) A presentation demonstrating advanced knowledge of prescribing in own area of practice weighting 20% (10 minutes duration) fulfilment of learning outcome 2

f) Completion of period of clinical prescribing preparation with assessment in prescribing competencies identified within the clinical prescribing preparation handbook, module mark weighting pass/fail, fulfilment of all the LO's

all individual elements of the assessment process must be passed to successfully complete the module

If any evidence of unsafe and/or dangerous practice is recognised in any part of the assessment process, this will mean an automatic fail of that individual element.

Formative Assessment / Feedback:
PBL presentation, seminar presentation, tutorials

Policies and procedures of independent/supplementary prescribing. Consultation, decision making, therapy and referral. Influences on and psychology of prescribing. Prescribing in a team context. Clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics therapeutics and the effects of co-morbidity. Evidence based practice and clinical governance in relation to prescribing. Legal, policy and ethical aspects. Professional accountability and responsibility. Construction of clinical management plans. Prescribing in the public health context. Drug licensing, monitoring procedures and reporting adverse drug reactions. Cost effective prescribing. Record keeping. Prescribing off licence off label unlicensed medication. Prescribing for vulnerable groups. Controlled drug prescribing.

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (140 hours)
108 hours Presentations and lectures
8 hours Discussion and group work
6 hours Personal formulary formation
10 hours Directed study
4 hours OSCE and examinations and preparation
4 Hours Tutorials

Guided Independent Study: (160 hours)
80 hours Reading and study
60 hours Portfolio development
20 hours presentation preparation

Additional 90 hours clinical practice

Access to a period of 90 hours facilitated clinical prescribing preparation with recognised/appropriate prescriber.
Specialist visiting lecturers
Library
IT resources

Barber, P. & Robertson, D. (2012) Essentials of Pharmacology for Nurses ( 2nd Edition). Berkshire Open University Press
Courtenay, M. and Griffith, M. (2010) Independent and Supplementary Prescribing An essential guide (2nd edition) Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Galbraith, A., Bullock, S., Manias, E., Hunt, B. & Richards, A.(2007) Fundamentals of Pharmacology An Applied Approach for Nursing and Health, London, Addison Wesley Longman Limited
Lynm, J., Bowskill, D., Bath-Hextall, F., & knags. R. 992010) The new prescriber an integrated approach to medical and non medical prescribing
Chichester, Wiley Blackwell