PgCert Clinical Practice (independent And Supplementary Prescribing)

Entry requirements for HCPC Registrants (paramedics and physiotherapists only) 

Registration

You must be a registered paramedic or physiotherapist, whose name must be held on the relevant part of the HCPC registration record (evidenced by submission of your registration number). This course is not available to other HCPC registrants.

Professional practice 

Paramedics must normally have at least 3 years relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical area in which they will be prescribing and be working at an advanced level of clinical practice. Physiotherapists must normally have at least 3 years relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical are in which they will be prescribing. 

You must be professionally practising in an environment where there is a need identified by your employer for you to regularly use independent prescribing or supplementary prescribing.

Academic qualifications

You must hold a degree from a UK university or equivalent or, in the case of non-graduates, be able to demonstrate equivalent academic ability and professional experience. 

Supervised practice agreement

You must have reached agreement with a Practice Educator to provide 90 hours (12 days of 7.5 hours) of supervised practice. The Practice Educator must be recognised by the employer as having:

experience in the relevant field of practice

training and experience in the supervision, support and assessment of trainees.

The Practice Educator must have agreed:

to provide you with opportunities to develop competence in prescribing

to supervise, support and assess you during your practice experience.

Employer / sponsor support

You must be able to demonstrate support from your employer/sponsor, who will confirm (via a supplementary application form – .docx, 73kb):

that your post is one in which you will have the need and opportunity to act as an independent or supplementary prescriber

you will have appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area in which you are expected to prescribe

appropriate medicines governance / clinical governance arrangements are in place to support safe and effective independent and supplementary prescribing

you have successfully completed a history-taking and assessment course or be deemed competent in practice to take a history and make a diagnosis for the conditions for which you will prescribe*

you have a current satisfactory full enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (within the last 3 years). You will need to provide a copy of your enhanced DBS check before an offer can be made

you have the confirmed agreement from your employer’s Prescribing Education lead in order to undertake the course.

*Alternatively you can take the History Taking and Physical Examination course (Level 7) at the University of West London.

English language

All students on this course are registered with the HCPC, so you should meet their English language requirements.

The HCPC requires an overall IELTS of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening.

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more