Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing
Duration | Part time 10 months |
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Discipline |
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Location | ![]() |
Start date | January 2019 |

Overview
This Pharmacist Prescribing course is designed for you to acquiring prescribing rights to become an autonomous practitioner, shape your clinical practice and increase your career options.
Successful completion of this module awards you the Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing and enables you to apply for annotation on your GPhC registration
General Pharmaceutical Council accreditation
Please note:
This course will run in 2019 once GPhC accreditation has been awarded.
Please see the GPhC accreditation reports for more information.
Application deadline
Application deadline for 2019: To be confirmed
Programme structure
Our Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing is a one-year part-time 45 Credit programme of study at National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 7.
Credits gained on this programme here can be used towards gaining your Diploma or Master’s in Clinical Pharmacy.
Workshop days
There will be 10 workshop days.
Attendance is expected on all of these days.
- Day 1 TBC
- Day 2 TBC
- Day 3 TBC
- Day 4 TBC
- Day 5 TBC
- Day 6 TBC
- Day 7 TBC
- Day 8 TBC
- Day 9 TBC
- Day 10 TBC
- Day 11 TBC
Application deadline for 2019: To be confirmed
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
Learning and teaching
Workshop days:
- Interactive patient-case discussions to develop your clinical reasoning
- Small group discussions to develop your future prescribing role
- Practical communication skills sessions
- Clinical examination training in specialist facilities
- Opportunities to reflect on your Supervised practice
- Academic tutor sessions to support your progress
E-learning material:
This comprises 3 units:
- Prescribing Governance
- Clinical skills for Prescribing
- Prescribing Partnerships
Students also have access to extensive on-line resources used on our other clinical courses and University library facilities.
Learning is backed up with individual tutor support and peer group discussions.
Multi-modal Assessment
- Assessments are varied and reflect the responsibilities of the prescribing role
- Assessments include a portfolio, short answer test and observations of clinical skills (OSCE)
- Research an area of your clinical practice
Careers
You will already be a registered pharmacist in employment in a UK healthcare setting. Acquiring this qualification and Independent prescriber status will enable you to seek extended roles in clinical practice as an autonomous prescribing practitioner. In addition, the ability to tailor some of the assessments to an area of practice will enable you to further your clinical interests.
All University of Exeter students have access to Career Zone, which gives access to a wealth of business contacts, support and training as well as the opportunity to meet potential employers at our regular Careers Fairs.
Facilities
This programme is delivered at St Luke’s Campus, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter.
Some sessions will be delivered in the fully-equipped Clinical Skills Resource Centre.
Entry requirements
You must:
- have current registration with the UK General Pharmaceutical Council or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
- have at least two years of patient-orientated experience in a UK hospital, community or primary care setting following your pre-registration year
- provide evidence of a recent, satisfactory enhanced DBS check
- have the agreement of a named designated medical practitioner (DMP) who is willing to supervise your training.
- demonstrate experience and reflective professional practice
- identify an area relating to your proposed scope of prescribing
- have support from a line manager, employer or service commissioner
Please download the Independent Prescribing Application pack and complete the form before applying online.
Applicants may be invited to undertake an informal interview as part of the application process. This will take the form of an individual meeting/telephone conversation with one of our academics.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees per year 2018/19
- All students: £1,950
Fees are subject to an annual increment each academic year.
Fee information
Fees can normally be paid by two termly instalments and may be paid online. You will also be required to pay a tuition fee deposit to secure your offer of a place, unless you qualify for exemption. For further information about paying fees see our Student Fees pages.
UK government postgraduate loan scheme
Postgraduate loans of up to £10,609 are now available for Masters degrees. Find out more about eligibility and how to apply.
Health Education England funding
Pharmacists may be eligible for HEE funding of this course if they are on one of these work streams:
- Clinical Pharmacists in General Practice
- Clinical Pharmacists in Integrated Urgent care
- Medicines Optimisation in Care homes
If you are applying for this funding, please tick the appropriate box on the application form.
Global Excellence Scholarship
We are delighted to offer Global Excellence Scholarships for students of outstanding academic quality applying to postgraduate Taught programmes starting in autumn 2019.
Contact us
Informal enquiries: Please email Dr Laura Sims
Phone: +44 (0)1392 725500
Web: Enquire online
The programme is supported by NHS England and Health Education England through the Pharmacy Integration Fund.