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Credit bearing module Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for AHPs

Explore independent and supplementary prescribing for ahps and develop knowledge to inform your understanding and professional practice.

Key facts

Duration
Part time: Two semesters
Level
Continuing professional development (CPD)
Academic level
7
Academic credits
40
School
Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery
Application deadline
  • 1 July (for a September start)
  • 1 November (for a January start)

About this course

Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for AHPs is a blended learning course. It provides a programme of preparation for Registered Chiropodists/Podiatrist, Physiotherapists, Therapeutic Radiographers or Paramedics.

It will allow you to develop the knowledge and skills required to practise as safe, effective and competent independent and supplementary prescribers, who are able to provide and be accountable for a high professional standard of care.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Before being considered as eligible to apply for entry onto this module you must:

  • be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and working within the United Kingdom
  • meet the HCPC (2019) Standards for prescribing requirements and those of their professional body
  • have 3 year’s post-registration experience
  • have successfully completed an accredited Level 6 or 7 module in History Taking and Physical Assessment
  • have an identified Practice Educator who meets the HCPC (2019) Standards for Prescribing and RPS (2020) Competency Framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioners
  • have a current satisfactory full enhanced DBS check (within the last 3 years)
  • have an Honours degree or higher, or be able to provide evidence of your potential to study at Level 7
  • have the support of your employer who confirms your post will have the need and opportunity to act as an independent/supplementary prescriber.

This course is not available to international students who require a student sponsor to study in the UK.

Fees and funding

Fees

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.

Learning and assessment

This course consists of both taught content and e-learning activities. The taught days take the form of a range of lectures, discussions and tutorials. The e-learning activities are accessed via the Virtual Learning Environment.

Students are also required to complete a minimum of 80 hours of direct supervised practice alongside a practice educator. The period of educationally-led practice is a fundamental part of the course in developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes of health care professionals to prescribe. Learning in practice will be related to the medical conditions and circumstances in which you are likely to prescribe as an Independent / Supplementary Prescriber. The assessment of practice is the responsibility of the Practice Educator providing support, teaching and supervision of the student. Evidence gained from the student’s practice experience will be included in the Learning Log of Prescribing Evidence.

The course introduces pharmacology, legal and ethical prescribing, interpersonal skills and quality assurance aspects of prescribing. These are underpinned by reflection on your own experience, evaluation of your own performance and application of theory to practice. It also enables you to be aware of current developments within Independent/ Supplementary prescribing in the UK.

Assessment

The assessment strategy for this course is designed to assess the professional requirements for safe, effective and cost-effective prescribing and enable the students to demonstrate competency against the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2021) A Competency Framework for all Prescribers.

The course assessment comprises:

  • Learning Log of Prescribing Evidence (mapped to RPS competencies, 2021)
  • Personal formulary from within the individual practitioner’s scope of practice
  • Evidence of satisfactory completion of a period of 80 hours of educationally led supervised practice
  • Pharmacology in-class test
  • Numeracy in-class test

How to apply

Before starting your application please read the Admissions Guide.

Apply through our Moodle Portal.

Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)