Practice Certificate Independent Prescribing

We're accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to provide courses in independent prescribing (IP).

Completing the course will result in a Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing award.

The course of study involves:

• pre-face-to-face course activity

• distance learning material

• two face-to-face periods

• a period of learning in practice under the supervision of a designated prescribing practitioner

You'll be awarded 30 ScotCat credits.

Pharmacists must meet all of the following requirements:

• current registration with GPhC &/or PSNI as a pharmacist

• In good standing with the healthcare regulator with which they are registered

• having relevant experience in a UK pharmacy setting

• Ability to recognise, understand and articulate the skills and attributes a prescriber requires to act as the foundation of their prescribing practice whilst training.

• They identified an area of clinical or therapeutic practice to base their learning.

• Ability to demonstrate how they reflect on their performance and take responsibility for their CPD.

• Ability to demonstrate how they will develop their networks for support, reflection and learning, including prescribers from other professions.

• A designated prescribing practitioner (DPP) who has agreed to supervise their period of learning in practice (further details above)

Pharmacists must provide examples of relevant experience demonstrating a significant and positive impact on patient care.  This must include clinical/therapeutic experience in a patient-oriented/person-centred setting.  Examples of relevant experience may include, but are not limited to:

• Counselling patients whilst collaborating with multidisciplinary hospital pharmacy teams on a ward where shared decision-making and consideration of patient dignity, capacity, and consent are essential.

• Drug history taking and medication reviews whilst assessing patients’ medicines as part of an annual review in a GP practice and where consideration of diversity and cultural differences influences their recommendations.

• Resolution of prescribing queries potentially in a community pharmacy where service provision to a care home is part of their role.

• We are dealing with ethical dilemmas whilst working in a community pharmacy on the weekend and deciding whether to supply medicines to a patient who has run out and cannot discuss this with the patient’s GP.

• Observation/involvement in specialist clinics in their local GP surgery where maintaining patient confidentiality will be essential, mainly as they know many patients who attend their community pharmacy.

• Reflection on practice and recognising their limitations in competence potentially when faced with a request to treat a patient or issue a prescription for a condition they are unfamiliar with whilst working in a GP practice.

20 hours of work permit weekly for international students.