As part of the PgDip stage you may elect to take the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module.

Can I elect to do the Independent prescribing module if I am not registered with the GPhC?

In order to be eligible to elect the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing course you will have to be registered with either the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI). If you work as a Pharmacist in a different country and are not registered with either organisation above you will not be eligible to elect this module.

What are the requirements to elect the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module at the PgDip stage?

1. You must have a current registration with GPhC or PSNI as a practising pharmacist in the UK or Northern Ireland.
2. Have at least two years appropriate patient orientated experience following your pre-registration year. (NB: This is counted from the time the module starts in September of each year NOT the start of the course).
3. You must have identified an area of clinical practice and the need in which to develop your prescribing skills.
4. Have up-to-date clinical, pharmacological and pharmaceutical knowledge relevant to your intended area of prescribing practice.
5. Demonstrate how you reflect on your own performance and take responsibility for your own CPD
6. Demonstrate how you will develop your own networks for support, reflection and learning.
7. You must have a Designated Medical Practitioner who has agreed to supervise the period of learning in practice.

He/She must be able to demonstrate 3 years medical responsibility for a group of patients in the relevant field of practice; they are a GP, specialist registrar, clinical assistant or a consultant within an NHS Trust or other NHS employer; has experience or training in teaching and/or supervision in practice.

Is the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing Module accredited by the GPhC?

Yes, The Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module is fully accredited by the GPhC and allows you to practice as a Pharmacist Independent prescriber after its completion. After ratification of your successful completion by the assessment board you can apply to the GPhC for annotation of your qualification to the register.  

Spaces on this module are limited and places are assigned in order of Independent Prescribing applications received 4 months prior to the module start date.

Visit the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing Course pages

The University recognises two types of prior learning - certified (APCL) and experimental (APEL). This may afford the applicant advanced entry or exemption of certain modules

Applicants may be eligible for APL if they have:

• Already completed part of a postgraduate degree in a professional pharmacy discipline
• Completed the Scottish Hospital Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) Stage 2
• Have sufficient work based practice and professional development courses

APL is permissible for up to 50% of the total degree credits and must be approved by the Course/Programme Managment Team as part of the student application process.

A separate APCL form and evidence of/or part of a successfully completed postgraduate degree in a professional pharmacy discipline must be submitted together with the online application form.

When does the course start and how long does it take to complete?

The course starts in January of each year.

PgCert: Jan – August

PgDip:  September– June

MSc: July – April/September

Can I stop at any stage?

Yes you can stop after any of the three stage PgCert, PgDip or MSc.

There is no requirement for you to continue on to the end of the MSc.

Do we get a study break?

While there is no extensive break as you would expect from an undergraduate or taught degree you will have certain breaks between modules. The study calendar for the full course is available to you from the start in January and should help you plan your holidays etc.

What happens if I need to take some time out?

The distance learning course tries to be as flexible as possible because we appreciate that you have a full time job as well as other family and personal commitments. If you need extra time for an assessment you can apply for an extension (up to 4 weeks). If for some reason you will need to take a longer leave of absence you can apply for a suspension of studies. You may suspend for up to 1year but please note that you can only suspend once during the duration of the course. When you return after a period of suspension you will join the next available cohort starting at the stage you are at.

How much does it cost?

A detailed breakdown of the fees by stage are available on the course website: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/health-professions/study-options/part-time-learning/clinical-pharmacy-practice. Just click on the tab entitled “course fees”.

Do I have to pay the course fees all in one go?

No, you will be charged by stage (i.e. PgCert, PgDip and MSc) and for each stage student finance has many different payment options available for you from lump sums, instalments and payment plans. The student finance department will actively work with you to find a payment option that works best for you.

Do I need to attend any classes at RGU in Aberdeen?

No there is no need for you to attend any classes at RGU in Aberdeen*. We recognise that it is often difficult to get time away from work and also adds to the cost of the course, so the course is entirely taught and assessed by distance learning.

 *NB: The only exception to this is a one week residential period if you elect the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module. This will take place in January of each year.

My IELTS exam is not until the middle of January, can I still apply?

Yes of course you may still apply but you won’t be able to start until you have completed the IELTS test and have successfully fulfilled the entry qualifications. This may lead to a delay in your course start. It is your responsibility to make up the lost time. We recommend that students who do their IELTS test after January of each year should defer entry to the course until January the following year as you would miss too much of the course.

Do I need to work as a Pharmacist in order to be accepted onto the course?

There is no direct requirement for you to be working in a patient facing role when you apply for the course. However the course is designed to improve you as a practitioner and both the PgCert and PgDip stage work very much alongside your own professional practice. You will be required to bring in your own cases from your practice and reflect on your current practice. So while not essential it helps you to be successful and to get the most out of your investment in the course.

You will need to be practicing in order to complete the MSc stage as the research project is carried out within your own work environment and we recommend that you have a workplace mentor for this stage of the qualification.

I have been out of work for a while and would like to do the course to help me get back into the job. Is this appropriate?

If you haven’t worked for a while this course is not the most appropriate one to get you back into the work environment as it is designed to run alongside your current practice in order to develop you as a practitioner.

If you would like to return to work after a period of absence from the profession then have a look at the help provided by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

I work in Community Pharmacy is this course still relevant for me?

Absolutely, the course is designed to be relevant to all Pharmacists irrespective of their area of practice or speciality. We offer a range of elective modules so everybody can tailor it more specifically to their individual development need.

Why are there so many elective options within the PgDip and MSc stage of the course?

Pharmacy is a very diverse profession and we want to ensure that you get the most relevant education for your own professional development.

How does the mapping of the course against the Foundation and Advanced Pharmacy Framework benefit my practice?

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has published both the Foundation and Advanced Pharmacy Framework to help support the development of each and every Pharmacist irrespective of their area of practice. As the course is fully mapped against both Frameworks it provides you with a distinct career and development progression. This will not only help to demonstrate to your employer how you have developed and what you have achieved but also allows you to identify areas of practice you may want to gain more experience in or develop into.

Once you reach the advanced stages of practice you may wish to use some of the evidence you collect as part of your submission to gain professional credentialing by the RPS Faculty. Please note completion of this course or the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Module does not mean a successful submission for credentialing by the RPS Faculty but it will prepare you for your journey as an advanced practitioner.

Is the qualification accredited and recognised around the world?

While there is no need for the MSc in Clinical Pharmacy Practice accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council*, the course is fully validated by both the University and a national panel of experts and is subject to rigorous quality assurance procedures on a continuous basis. The final award of PgCert, PgDip and MSc is fully recognised around the world.

*NB: The Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module is fully accredited by the GPhC and allows you to practice as a Pharmacist Independent prescriber after its completion. After ratification of your successful completion by the assessment board you can apply to the GPhC for annotation of the qualification to the register.  

Are there any placement options available during this course?

As this is a distance learning course there are no placement options available during the course.

How is the course assessed?

The course uses a range of different assessments. These take the form of case studies, forum postings/ discussions, reflective essays/ worksheets, portfolios of evidence, oral presentations and research reports (*OSCE – Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module only)

All assessments are done by electronic submission.

What form do the teaching materials take?

Again this is varied and depends on the topic you are studying. All our materials are developed by specialist pharmacists who are subject experts in their field and practice both within the UK and internationally. During the respective topic you will have access to these experts for advice and guidance through forum postings and discussions. All materials are reviewed yearly to ensure we provide you with the most up to date knowledge and evidence based materials.

There is no requirement for you to buy any books or additional materials.

Can I elect to do the Independent prescribing module if I am not registered with the GPhC?

In order to be eligible to elect the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing course you will have to be registered with either the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI). If you work as a Pharmacist in a different country and are not registered with either organisation above you will not be eligible to elect this module.

 
What are the requirements to elect the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module at the PgDip stage?

1. You must have a current registration with GPhC or PSNI as a practising pharmacist in the UK or Northern Ireland.
2. Have at least two years appropriate patient orientated experience following your pre-registration year. (NB: This is counted from the time the module starts in September of each year NOT the start of the course).
3. You must have identified an area of clinical practice and the need in which to develop your prescribing skills.
4. Have up-to-date clinical, pharmacological and pharmaceutical knowledge relevant to your intended area of prescribing practice.
5. Demonstrate how you reflect on your own performance and take responsibility for your own CPD
6. Demonstrate how you will develop your own networks for support, reflection and learning.
7. You must have a Designated Medical Practitioner who has agreed to supervise the period of learning in practice.

He/She must be able to demonstrate 3 years medical responsibility for a group of patients in the relevant field of practice; they are a GP, specialist registrar, clinical assistant or a consultant within an NHS Trust or other NHS employer; has experience or training in teaching and/or supervision in practice.

Is the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing Module accredited by the GPhC?

Yes, The Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module is fully accredited by the GPhC and allows you to practice as a Pharmacist Independent prescriber after its completion. After ratification of your successful completion by the assessment board you can apply to the GPhC for annotation of your qualification to the register.

Am I guaranteed a place on the Independent Prescribing course at the PgDip stage?

The course has a fixed number of places available in line with our GPhC accreditation. These places are provided on a first-come basis in order of received completed Independent Prescribing application paperwork. This application is separate from the course application and must be completed by the students, the designated medical practitioner and line manager. We usually ask for students module choices for the PgDip stage in Spring (March/ April) every year. At this point you can elect to do the Independent Prescribing module and we will send you the necessary paperwork to complete. It is the return of  this completed paperwork which is taken as confirmation of your place on the course. You can NOT secure your place at the time of applying on the course.

Do I need to have a designated medical practitioner in place by the time I apply for the MSc?

No you don’t. We will ask for your module choices at PgDip stage around March/April time every year and will then send you the application for the Independent Prescribing module separately. This paperwork will have to be completed by yourself, the designated medical practitioner and your line manager. This means you have got time to secure the input of a designated medical practitioner until March/April time each year.

Will I be given an award Certificate after each completed stage?

No, much like your Undergraduate Pharmacy degree you will not receive a final award certificate until you have completed the course (MSc) or decided to exit with a PgCert or PgDip. You will however receive a transcript after the marks have been ratified by the assessment board which shows all your grades and confirms the award you are eligible for at any given time.

When will I receive my final award certificate after I have completed/ exited the course?

In order to receive your final award Certificate you MUST REGISTER FOR GRADUATION. Even if you do not want to attend the graduation ceremony you will need to graduate in “absentia”. Your award certificate will then be posted out to you after graduation. If you do NOT register for graduation you will NOT receive your final award certificate. Instead you will receive another invited for the next graduation opportunity. 

If you have any additional questions please contact the Postgraduate Programmes Leader Dr. Anita Weidmann directly (a.e.weidmann@rgu.ac.uk )