Clinically Enhanced Prescribing

About this module

This programme enables practitioners to develop the skills and knowledge for clinical decision-making and to practice as independent prescribers in line with the standards set by professional regulators.

Health care is evolving to encompass a greater number of more specialised and generalist services both within and outside of the hospital setting. Strategies for the development of NHS services include building competence and capability for qualified health professionals. This programme promotes learner autonomy and competence development to advance your clinical practice. 

The Postgraduate Certificate in Clinically Enhanced Prescribing is comprised of one core 40 credit module (Non-medical Prescribing) and one core 20 credit module (Diagnostic Reasoning in Clinical Practice), intended to be undertaken in one year. The programme takes a blended approach, with on campus and online learning, to support you through distinct stages of development over the period.

You can choose to start with the Diagnostic Reasoning in Clinical Practice (DRICP) module, normally in the summer semester (May start), or the Prescribing module in the Autumn (September) or Spring (January) cohort. The Diagnostic Reasoning in Clinical Practice (7NU563) module introduces you to the key elements of clinical assessment, diagnostic decision making and the management of individuals with specific health conditions. 

There is an emphasis on developing an autonomous specialist practitioner who can function in local communities across the life course of the population. 

The prescribing module provides Pharmacists, Nurses or Midwives, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists or Paramedics with the necessary skills and knowledge to practice and develop as an independent prescriber and to meet the standards set by their regulatory bodies. 

How you are assessed

Practical: Requires the completion of OSCEs.

Exams: Requires the completion of an OSCE exam in the Diagnostic Reasoning in Clinical Practice module. For Prescribing, Nurses and Allied Health professionals need to score 100% on a calculations test and 80% on a pharmacology examination to achieve a pass.

Course Work: Requires the presentation of an evidence-based poster detailing specific drugs, and the submission of an essay and case studies.

Additionally: for the Prescribing qualification practice sign-off is required (verifying 90 hours of clinical practice).

On completion, you will be awarded the:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Clinically Enhanced Prescribing Practice

If you successfully complete the non-medical prescribing module, you will receive an interim Postgraduate Practice Certificate award for CPD purposes and to meet professional regulation requirements for registering the qualification.

Interim Awards:

• Postgraduate Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Nurses and Midwives
• Postgraduate Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Paramedics
• Postgraduate Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Physiotherapists
• Postgraduate Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Podiatrists
• Postgraduate Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists

Course team

• Jill Gould: Senior Lecturer; Programme Leader, DN and Nurse prescriber
• Alan Bloomer: Pharmacist Lecturer and Independent Prescriber
• Rachel Lewis: Pharmacist Lecturer and Independent Prescriber
• Jennifer Lee: Pharmacist Lecturer and Independent Prescriber
• Louise Boole: Senior Lecturer, District Nurse and Nurse prescriber
• Dr Gerri Mortimore: Lecturer Advanced Practice, Independent Prescriber and Advanced Nurse Practitioner
• Donna Brewster: Lecturer Advanced Practice, Independent Prescriber and Advanced Nurse Practitioner
• Helen Johnson: Lecturer Advanced Practice, Independent Prescriber and Advanced Nurse Practitioner

To speak with a member of the academic team please contact prescribing@derby.ac.uk

The programme aims to:

• Prepare you to advance your professional autonomy and develop competence as pertinent to your role and area of clinical practice
• Encourage a greater awareness of professional roles and scope of practice to facilitate collaborative, integrated practice, networking and team working
• Advance critical thinking and decision-making skills in your area of practice
• Facilitate the identification of your own development needs and strategies to address these to progress practice and contribute to the education and support of colleagues

Academic Pre-requisites

Applicants wishing to undertake the programme at academic level 7 (postgraduate) should normally have a first degree. If applicants do not hold a first degree, they must have successfully undertaken a minimum of one Level 6 (undergraduate) or one Level 7 (postgraduate) module within the past five years. For the prescribing module, you must have successfully completed at least one 20-credit module at Level 7. 

Professional Pre-requisites

In addition to the academic requirements, you will need to be a qualified health professional with active registration as either a Pharmacist (on the General Pharmaceutical Council register), Nurse or Midwife (on the Nursing and Midwifery Register), Physiotherapist, Podiatrist or Paramedic (on the Health and Care Processions Register).

You will need to be actively practising in a patient-facing role for a minimum of one day per week. Each of the three professional bodies stipulates their individual entry requirements which are outlined below, and can be found in the programme handbook for prescribing (MB9BC) and through the University website using these links:

• Non-medical Prescribing for Nurses and Midwives
• Non-medical Prescribing for Pharmacists
• Non-medical Prescribing for Physiotheraists
• Non-medical Prescribing for Podiatrists
• Non-medical Prescribing for Paramedics
• Professional entry requirements information

2023/24

£3,000 total for the year. 

Students should Apply directly to the University..

Apply directly to the University

Contact us

If you want to find out more about studying a short course, please contact us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.