A multi-professional course to enable you to develop the consultation and prescribing skills required to qualify as an independent prescriber within your area of practice.
Become equipped with the skills to prescribe medications safely and effectively. This postgraduate course integrates theoretical learning with practical experience to allow you to undertake roles that require you to take on prescribing responsibilities.
This course is currently open to pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, paramedics and therapeutic radiographers. If you are a nurse or midwife, please view our Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing (NMC and ACP route) course page.
Apart from developing my practical clinical skills and knowledge, this course has enabled my confidence to grow and my abilities as a clinical pharmacist to shine through. Everybody, including both lecturers and fellow course mates are very friendly and welcoming which helps ease any possible nerves when starting a new course at a new university. The atmosphere is very warm and open, allowing students to voice their opinions and ask questions when they feel the need to.
This multi-professional blended learning course takes place over six months including two face-to-face study days. Attendance at the University for these dates is mandatory. There is an additional one day for completion of the face-to-face assessment.
You will be required to arrange a minimum of 90 hours (12 days) placement, in practice under the clinical supervision of an approved Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP). This is necessary in order to complete the programme.
Should your working circumstances or placement arrangements change, and you're therefore not able to successfully complete the required clinical supervision, you'll not be able to complete the programme. There will also be monthly online sessions to support your learning.
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March 2026 Cohort |
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Online induction (optional) |
23/3/26 |
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Study Days 1 and 2 |
Day 1: 20/4/26 Day 2: 21/4/26 or 11/5/26 |
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Optional study day |
2/6/26 |
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Assessment Day |
22/6/26 or 23/6/26 |
NB: This is still provisional and timetables will be confirmed on induction.
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You can get in touch with our team via prescribing@contacts.bham.ac.uk to ask any questions you have about this programme.
The structure of the NHS, healthcare and service delivery is changing at a fast pace. New roles across healthcare services are developing and supporting a multi-disciplinary team approach to improving patient outcomes. This includes supporting patients to access a range of healthcare professionals with the ability to prescribe appropriately and safely within their scope of practice.
There’s a strong emphasis on self-directed learning to ensure that the content is contextualised to your area of practice.
Benefit from interprofessional learning. This programme is open to various healthcare professionals, fostering a multidisciplinary learning environment.
Benefit from access to our Clinical Skills Suite with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.
On successful completion of the course, you will be awarded the Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing and be eligible for annotation by your regulator as an independent prescriber.
Hear more about studying at Birmingham. Chat to one of our friendly postgraduate students to get their thoughts on our courses, stunning campus and life in a vibrant and cultural city.
The course adopts a blended learning approach including interactive face-to-face study days, case studies, discussions and online learning. Our Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing includes a wide variety of learning and teaching:
Face-to-face study days – core clinical assessment skills will be developed including consultation and clinical skills. Role-play scenarios including the use of expert patient actors and associate clinical educators will facilitate the development of effective communication and clinical examination skills.
Independent learning - You'll use the web-based SCRIPT e-learning programme. This comprises of 51 modules designed to improve prescribing competency and is developed in partnership with Health Education England – West Midlands and OCB media. SCRIPT offers a range of modules including Fundamentals of Pharmacology, Dosing and Calculations and modules related to specific therapeutic areas.
Supervised learning – You’ll require an identified Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) to supervise the minimum 12 days (90 hours) learning in practice.
Assessment methods - Three station OSCE, critical reflection, structured reflective portfolio and satisfactory completion of 90 hours supervised learning in practice, validated and signed off by DPP.
Nominated DPPs must be a registered medical or non-medical practitioner who must fulfil the following eligibility criteria, which underpin the competencies within the 'A Competency Framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioner' (RPS 2019), and should be met by all DPPs:
1. Regulatory requirements:
2. Prescribing competency framework requirements:
Suitability of the role will be determined at the application stage. DPPs must be fit to undertake the role and must have experience of teaching and supporting students within the clinical area.
This 30 credit Masters course (level 7) is delivered part-time over six months and comprises one 30 credit module. 30 credits is approximately 300 hours of student endeavour.
This multi-professional blended learning course takes place over 6 months including 2 face-to-face study days. Attendance at the University for these dates is mandatory.
There is an additional 1 day for completion of the face-to-face assessment.
You will be required to arrange a minimum of 90 hours (12 days) placement, in practice under the clinical supervision of an approved Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP). This is necessary to complete the programme. Should your working circumstances or placement arrangements change, and you are therefore unable to successfully complete the required clinical supervision, you will not be able to complete the programme.
There will also be monthly online sessions to support your learning.
Due to the nature of teaching and learning on this course the number of places in each cohort is controlled. Admissions to the Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing may therefore be competitive.
Please note as you are qualified, registered and practicing professionals, you are subject to the fitness to practice procedure for your professional regulator.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) sets learning outcomes for independent prescribing courses. Courses are underpinned by A Competency Framework for all Prescribers. By the end of the course you must provide evidence that you meet the learning outcomes and prescribing competencies. Please also refer to GPhC Standards for pharmacy professionals and the eligibility criteria for becoming a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) Designated Prescribing Practitioner Competency Framework.
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) sets standards for prescribing and has adopted the Competency Framework for all Prescribers.
Eligibility criteria for becoming a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) Designated Prescribing Practitioner Competency Framework.
We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2026 entry are above.
The fees quoted are for one year only. For those studying courses that are longer than one year, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.
Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. You can check whether you are eligible for UK or international fees with our admissions team.
Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.
International students undertaking a postgraduate taught degree are required to pay a tuition fee deposit before an electronic Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) can be issued.
The deadline for applications to join the March 2026 cohort is 16th February 2026. We reserve the right to close the course when we are in receipt of sufficient applications. All applicants are therefore advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible and before the deadline.
Once you have successfully passed and completed this course, you will be registered with the GPhC, PSNI or HCPC as an Independent Prescriber and be able to undertake roles that require you to take on prescribing responsibilities within your scope of practice.
Graduate destinations include: GP surgeries, mental health services, addiction services, pain management, and specialist secondary care services.
"Completing this course has enabled me to register as a Paramedic Independent Prescriber which has afforded me significant professional development and ensured I am equipped and trained to increase medicines access to my patients."
