Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists University Certificate of Postgraduate Study

Apply now

Gain the ability to prescribe autonomously for any condition in your clinical competence. Provide patients with improved access to medicines. Open up new career opportunities for yourself.

Download an application pack

Overview

This course leads to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)-approved Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing, a required qualification for becoming an independent prescriber.

The course usually takes 12 months to complete, although it can be completed in less. It includes nine mandatory on-campus study days where you'll study therapeutic topics, clinical skills and assessment and much more. You'll be given the opportunity to develop your awareness and knowledge of the clinical assessment and examination of patients in the main anatomic/therapeutic systems: respiratory, cardiovascular, gastro-intestinal, musculoskeletal and nervous.

The course covers all of the learning outcomes stipulated in the GPhC’s Educational Standards, with emphasis applied to clinical decision-making, patient safety, and the professional and ethical aspects of prescribing practice.

Once qualified, and with your registration appropriately annotated, you'll be able to take on new challenges and opportunities unavailable to non-prescribers. The course is therefore transformative in terms of your ongoing professional development and clinical utility that ultimately enhances career choices and job satisfaction. More information is available from the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Why us?

This is the only GPhC-approved Independent Prescribing course designed specifically for pharmacists in the North East of England
You will undertake a minimum of 90 hours supervised practice with a designated prescribing practitioner; ideally this will be a medical practitioner to ensure a diverse experience during your training, although non-medical prescribers may also be considered

We will prepare you to become an autonomous pharmacist independent prescriber by utilising a variety of teaching and experiential training methods
The Independent Prescribing qualification can be taken as an optional module for those enrolled, or wishing to enrol, on MSc Clinical Pharmacy as well as being a stand-alone course

Course structure

The content of this course reflects the General Pharmaceutical Council's syllabus for independent prescribing for pharmacists.

We use a variety of teaching and learning methods including lectures, seminars, practical skills development sessions, presentations, self-directed learning and mentored practice, all supported by a comprehensive on-line learning environment.

The course runs twice a year, starting in both September and January. You'll study at the University one day a week for nine weeks, with associated independent study, followed by assessments in the form of a multiple choice question exam and a structured clinical examination (usually in the fourth month of the course).

You will also undertake at least 90 hours of supervised practice with a designated prescribing practitioner and submit a written portfolio of evidence for assessment up to a year after starting the course.

Modules:

Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists (40 credits)

Acquire the theoretical and practical skills and knowledge to become a safe and effective Independent Prescriber. Gain experience with a dedicated in-work mentor to help you develop the competencies required for professional recognition as a prescriber in your own right. Consolidate and develop your abilities to engage in reflective practice and to utilise these skills to enhance patient care and safety by focusing on the fundamental principles of effective consultation and prescribing governance.

Facilities

This course is based in the Sciences Complex at our City Campus, which boasts multi-disciplinary laboratories and cutting-edge equipment thanks to multi-million-pound investments.

The University has a purpose-built model pharmacy complete with consultation suite and optional video recording of your interaction with patients. In addition, we can accurately simulate hospital-based scenarios in a fully equipped ward environment.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

We require applicants to:

Have been registered with the UK General Pharmaceutical Council or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland for at least two years
Have at least two years of patient-orientated experience in a UK hospital, community or primary care setting following your pre-registration year
Hold a clinical qualification at postgraduate diploma level or above, or an equivalent portfolio of evidence of clinical experience (if you are unable to meet this entry requirement, you should consider applying for MSc Clinical Pharmacy which includes an optional independent prescribing module)
Have an identified area of clinical practice for independent prescribing and the agreement of a designated prescribing practitioner to supervise your learning in practice
Have a clinical role that requires you to be a prescriber or be in the process of training to be a prescriber

Applications should be received by 31 July for September entry and 31 October for January entry.

To apply for this course, you must complete the downloadable application form (.pdf) and the Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists application pack. Please also download our Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) guide.pdf for your DPP to review before they sign their declaration in the application pack.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

For self-funding students, the fee for this course is £1,688.

If you are an NHS employee, please ask us about the possibility of funded places on the course:

Health Education England North East provides commissioned funding for NHS-employed pharmacists or those providing NHS services
NHS England’s Pharmacy Integration Fund (via the Centre for Postgraduate Pharmacy Education) provides support for general practice or Primary Care Network pharmacists among others

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Related courses

Contact

For more information on studying this course, contact:

Corporate and Professional Education Team
0191 515 3361
cape@sunderland.ac.uk

Page last updated: 15 March 2023

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

Sign up to receive emails about your subject area.

I am currently serving or have previously served in the armed forces, including reserves.

Keep me up to date relating to my interest in the University of Sunderland via:

Email

You may unsubscribe at any time.

Using Your Personal Information
The University of Sunderland is collecting this data in order for you to receive information on your chosen subject(s). Your information will be stored securely in our Customer Relationship Management system which is provided by a 3rd party and used only for the administration and provision of this information. Should you choose to opt in to further communications we will also use your information to facilitate other useful marketing information based on your preferences. Further information on how your data is stored and used can be found in our Privacy notice - marketing.