INDEPENDENT/SUPPLEMENTARY PRESCRIBING (NMC/HCPC V300) - 2025/6

Module Overview

The independent and supplementary prescribing V300 module provides an exciting and challenging opportunity for nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, therapeutic and diagnostic radiographers, dietitians and podiatrists to support and improve clinical outcomes for patients.

This module is designed to provide these health care professionals (HCPs) with the knowledge and skills to prescribe safely and appropriately within their area of practice and current non-medical, independent and supplementary prescribing legislation.

The independent and supplementary prescriber may prescribe any medicine, within law and national & local guidelines for any condition within the practitioner’s area of expertise and competence. Currently, dietitians and diagnostic radiographers can practice as supplementary prescribers only.

 

Successful completion of the module will empower these HCPs to improve access to appropriate medication in a timely manner, in line with the NHS Five Year Forward View (NHS England, 2017) & NHS Long Term Plan (NHS England, 2019)

It will facilitate inter-professional working, maximising the benefits for patients and support for healthcare services identified in the Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England (NHS England, NHS Improvement, Health Education England, 2017).

 

 

On successful completion of all aspects of the module, the University will inform the regulatory body that the student is eligible to register their qualification, the qualification will need to be registered within the timeframes specified by the regulatory body (NMC/HCPC).

The module assessments must be successfully completed within two years of starting the module.

 

The length of the module will be a minimum of 26 taught days over the academic semesters, with an additional 12 days of supervised learning in practice and all registrants must undertake both independent and supplementary elements of the module.

Module provider

School of Health Sciences

Module Leader

DRUMMOND Corinne (Health Sci.)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

• Be registered with Nursing and Midwifery Council/ Health and Care Professions Council
• be professionally practising in an environment where there is an identified need for the individual to regularly prescribe be able to demonstrate support from their employer/sponsor (unless self-employed)
• have completed relevant study/module in Health Assessment that includes history taking, consultation and diagnostic examination skills (please contact Module Lead for advice)

Must have identified:

• a practice assessor/educator: a suitably prepared, experienced independent prescriber within their organisation, who will assess summative competencies and an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)
• a practice supervisor(s): suitably prepared, experienced independent prescriber(s) who will support the student in applying, reinforcing and demonstrating the required knowledge, skills and behaviour within the workplace through development of formative competencies, for the duration of the course

For PSRB compliance:

• For NMC registrants, the practice supervisor and practice assessor must be 2 different people (NMC, 2018) unless exceptional circumstances apply. This model of 2 different people is recommended and, on this course, also applies to HCPC registrants and their practice supervisor and practice educator.
• Nurses and midwives must have been qualified for a minimum of a year, Physiotherapists, podiatrists, therapeutic radiographers and dietitians and diagnostic radiographers must normally have been practising for at least two years at an advanced level. This course is not available to Paramedics at Level 6, please see the Level 7 Module.
• Evidence of a DBS check or a signed statement of good character

 

Module content

The content of the 26 taught days will cover:

pharmacology (including pharmacokinetics and dynamics), numeracy for prescribing practice, the contents and use of the online BNF, prescribing consultations, legal aspects of independent and supplementary prescribing, how to use resources and evidence for up-to-date evidence-based prescribing practice.  

The content will also cover a variety of specialist subjects in clinical prescribing, including major drug groups and/or diseases related to different body systems or stages of life, such as cardiovascular, respiratory, mental health, endocrine, skin and palliative care.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A 

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the following and adhere to the RPS Competency Framework for Prescribers (2021)::

Competency in safe and effective prescribing through achievement of passing the numeracy and pharmacology examinations.

In addition, the students will demonstrate their knowledge through assessment in practice and coursework based on practice experience. This will:-

• Enable the student and the practice supervisor & practice assessor (NMC students) or practice educator (HCPC) to chart the student’s continuous assessment and progress throughout the period of supervised practice.


• Record the assessment of the competence and safety of the student in the practice of independent and supplementary prescribing.


• Provide evidence of the student’s ability to base their practice on the underlying theoretical components of the module.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

A summative assessment undertaken towards the end of the module showing competence in each area of practice and an OSCE-signed by the supervisor/practice assessor (NMC students) or practice educator (HCPC). A recording of the discussion after the OSCE will be submitted as an electronic file.

The University will set and mark:-

Part A Portfolio - (including record of 90 hours supervised practice) - Pass/Fail 

Part B Portfolio Essay - Drug Analysis - 35% weighted (40% pass mark)

Part B Portfolio Essay- Reflection on Prescribing Practice - 65% module credit weighted (40% pass mark)

Numeracy exam - Pass/Fail (100% pass mark)

Pharmacology exam - Pass/Fail (80% pass mark)

Formative assessment

A formative practice-based assessment undertaken within the first 4 weeks of the module, showing the level of competence against each area of practice as students start the module- signed by the practice supervisor (NMC & HCPC students). The supervisor/practice assessor (NMC students) or practice educator (HCPC) will give formative feedback on at least one practice OSCE prior to the OSCE summative assessment.

Formative assessment of written coursework provided by the Module team, for Part B of the Portfolio with written feedback provided via the SurreyLearn Assessment folders and Turnitin so that students also receive experience of submitting work electronically prior to summative submission dates.

 

Module aims

• Prepare nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses to independently prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively, licensed drugs from the British National Formulary and to act as supplementary prescribers as required in practice.
• Prepare physiotherapists, therapeutic radiographers and podiatrists to independently prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively, licensed drugs from the British National Formulary and to act as supplementary prescribers as required in practice.
• Prepare diagnostic radiographers and dietitians to supplementary prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively, licensed drugs from the British National Formulary and to be knowledgeable in independent prescribing.
• Professionally develop students in the higher education context of lifelong learning

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Utilise innovative and creative approaches to learning.

The module utilises blended learning technologies such as computer assisted learning and assessment on the Surrey Learn platform. This provides the flexibility to maximise the student experience, alongside using face to face teaching and self-directed work.

This will encourage the student to gain key transferrable skills, such as information literacy to support learning in their area of practice. The concept of inter-professional learning is integral to the teaching and learning strategy of the module and the students will be taught in multi-professional groups.

The learning and teaching methods include a variety of learning and teaching strategies which will be used in the delivery of the module, encompassing the following:

• Enquiry-based learning, to develop critical thinking in e.g. Legal, ethical and professional issues;


• Lectures by specialist professionals;


• Case studies/scenarios, to show the application of knowledge of drugs to clinical practice;


• Student-led seminars, to show the application of knowledge of drugs to clinical practice and Formative Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), to develop confidence in assessment and decision making.


• The learning also includes supervised learning in practice, supported by the practice supervisor and assessment in practice from a practice assessor/educator

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: NUR3325

Other information

The school of Health Sciences is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

 

Digital capabilities: Students will develop their digital capabilities by the use of online resources to aid sound, current and evidenced based prescribing decisions and a good understanding of key technologies and digital tools (such as electronic prescribing systems) which can be used in the context of their professional role.

 

Employability: Students are all registered healthcare professionals and will be developing skills and knowledge that will lead to an additional qualification on their professional register. This prescribing qualification can help them develop in their current role and will enhance their future employability. Students will develop a critically inquiring attitude and professional curiosity regarding their prescribing practice and network with other professionals.
 

Global and cultural capabilities: Module content incorporates perspectives and practices from a range of cultures; through conversations around culture, faith, religion and socio-economic factors, students are encouraged to diversify their knowledge and reflect on different experiences. This will support the development of cultural competence to support the diverse range of communities engaging with services. Students will reflect on cultural practices and the impact of judgements in relation to this on prescribing practices.

 

Sustainability- Students will develop their skills in appropriate prescribing to support the sustainability of future populations and the environment by learning how inappropriate prescribing can increase waste in healthcare and lead to disease-resistance.
 

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students are guided to develop the ability to reflect, evaluate, adapt, and respond flexibly to the information they gather as part of prescribing consultations throughout the module and in the practice environment.  This pillar is fundamental to the development of effective and safe Independent & Supplementary Prescribers, who are confident in their prescribing decisions including deprescribing and not prescribing. Case-based learning & scenario examples are used to develop students’ ability to respond confidently to service users and carers needs and manage service user expectations of prescribing within their professional field.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.