Prescribing

Information and links for University of Derby prescribing programmes

Welcome to the prescribing course information page. The resources and links are for prescribing course applicants with additional information about practice supervision.

Prescribing course applicants

All applicants to a prescribing course need to meet the professional entry criteria. Each professional body has different entry criteria and your application to the University of Derby cannot be considered until we receive and review the professional "Pre-admission portfolio". This form can be found on our University of Derby Online (UDoL) pre-admission course entitled "Prescribing Preparation".

Prescribing Preparation 

To help fulfil the specific professional requirements, you need to enrol on the "Prescribing Preparation" online course. It provides prescribing course information, guidance, and study resources while hosting the pre-admission calculations test and a hand-in point for your Pre-admission portfolio.

Scoring 100% on the calculations test is a pre-requisite for Nurses and AHPs, and all applicants including Pharmacists should use the Prescribing Preparation course site to upload their professional pre-admission portfolio (PAP) for review by the course team.

Enrol in Prescribing Preparation

Teaching dates

Chesterfield cohort

Weekly on Wednesdays at St Helena's Campus, 2 Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 7LL

The first two weeks take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays at our Derby campus (or via webinar) 

  • Start Date: 6 September 2023 (Webinar) 
  • End Date: 11 January 2024 (this last day is at the Derby Campus)
  • Tutorials, directed study, and assessments extend the course to March

Derby cohort

Weekly on Thursdays at Derby Kedleston Road Campus, Derby, DE22 1GB

The first two weeks are Wednesdays and Thursdays at Derby campus (or webinar)

  • Start Date: 6 September 2023 (Webinar)
  • End Date: 11 January 2024
  • Tutorials, directed study, and assessments extend the course to the end of February

Enrol in the Prescribing Preparation course for the full teaching, study and assessment dates

Chesterfield cohort

Mainly weekly on Wednesdays at St Helena's Campus, 2 Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 7LL

The first two weeks take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays at our Derby campus (or via webinar) 

  • Start Date: 24 January 2024 (Webinar) 
  • End Date: 30 May 2024* (this last day is at Derby Campus)
  • Tutorials, directed study and assessments extend the course to July

Derby cohort

Mainly weekly on Thursdays at Derby Kedleston Road Campus, Derby, DE22 1GB

The first two weeks are Wednesdays and Thursdays at Derby campus (or webinar)

  • Start Date: 24 January 2024 (Webinar) 
  • End Date: 30 May 2024* (this last day is at Derby Campus)
  • Tutorials, directed study and assessments extend the course to July

Enrol on the Prescribing Preparation course for the full teaching, study, and assessment dates

Make sure you complete the application to the University

Entry requirements and the direct university application can be found for each of the professions on the main university course pages:

Practice assessment

As part of the professional entry criteria, you must identify a suitably qualified prescribing practitioner for your 90 hours of supervised practice. The role could previously only be fulfilled by a Medical Practitioner (DMP) but changes to standards have widened this to suitably qualified Non-medical Prescribers.

The next section is aimed at Designated Prescribing Practitioners (GPhC); Practice Assessors and Practice Supervisors (NMC) or Practice Educators (HCPC).

Applicants should share this page with their prospective practice assessors. 

Prescribing practice supervision

Practice supervision for prescribing students is an important and mandatory professional requirement. Teaching others can be seen as beneficial to professional and personal growth. Doctors or non-medical prescribers are invited to use these pages for:

Prescribing supervision requirements

Designated Medical Practitioners

If you have previously supported a non-medical prescribing student, or are noted on the GMC register as a 'Trainer', the update requirement is one of the following:

  1. Attend a live webinar update (approx. 1 hour)

      Or 

  1. Access the introductory video for DMPs (approx. 5 minutes) and
  2. Access the video about practice assessment for the type of student you will be supporting (eg. Nurse, pharmacist, or allied health professional)
  3. Complete the quiz to show you have done this

If you have no previous supervision experience of students undertaking the prescribing course and are not on the GMC register as a trainer, or you are not confident in assessing a learner to prescribe, you should:

  • Identify your education / mentoring experience on the students' application
  • Attend the 1-hour live update (webinar); or access the update videos
  • Complete the quiz to show you have done this
  • Optionally enrol on the prescribing practice supervision course to gain further insight into competency assessment
  • Contact the programme leader with any queries at Prescribing@derby.ac.uk 

Enrol on our Prescribing Practice Supervision course

Non-Medical Prescribers

If you have previously undertaken a course and acted as a DPP / Practice Assessor / Practice Educator, you will need to:

  • Show evidence of this on the students' application / via interview by the academic tutor and complete a verification form / DPP mapping document. 
  • Attend the 1-hour NMP course update

Or, if you have completed the DPP course at the University of Derby and previously signed off as an NMP student:

  • Attend the 1-hour course update OR access the video resources instead of the live webinar
  • Complete the quiz to show you have done this

All practitioners involved in practice supervision need to be up to date in relation to the competency framework for all prescribers and be clinically active. If you have undertaken the DPP / Prescribing Practice Supervision course elsewhere, may wish to enrol on the UoD 'Prescribing Practice Supervision' course to access additional support and educational resources:

Enrol on our Prescribing Practice Supervision course

NMP Practitioners with experience of practice assessment/supervision but not for prescribing students; you will need to:

  • Provide evidence of your clinical role / experience on the student's application
  • Complete the NMP DPP portfolio and mapping document
  • Enrol on the 'Prescribing Practice Supervision' course
    • Undertake selected activities as needed
    • Submit your completed DPP portfolio/mapping document on the course site
  • Attend the 1-hour NMP course update session via live webinar
  • Access the video on critical thinking/practice assessment

All practitioners involved in practice supervision need to be up to date in relation to the RPS competency framework for all prescribers and be clinically active. For nurses or midwives who have attended SSSA training, the only mandatory activity is the prescribing course update. You will still need to upload a completed DPP portfolio, but evidence can include previous SSSA training and/or testimony. 

For NMPs who need to upload their DPP portfolio, please enrol on the 'Prescribing Practice Supervision' course. 

Enrol on our Prescribing Practice Supervision course

Unique to Nurses undertaking NMP, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requires students to identify both a "Practice Assessor" and Practice Supervisor".

While NMP Practice Assessors must complete the full DPP mapping document, Practice Supervisors who have undertaken SSSA training only need to attend an update about the NMP programme. If you haven't been updated regarding the NMC (2018) standards for student supervision and assessment, there is one activity to undertake on the "Prescribing Practice Supervision" course site and a short 'Practice Supervisor' mapping document can be completed.

Regardless of your current status as a Practice Supervisor, you are still encouraged to enrol on the prescribing practice supervision course for information. To be noted as a Practice Supervisor, you need to:

  • Evidence of your clinical role/experience on the student's application
  • Be up to date with the RPS competency framework for all prescribers
  • As required (e.g. no SSSA update), complete the NMP NMC Practice Supervisor portfolio
  • Enrol on the 'Prescribing Practice Supervision' course
    • Submit your completed mapping document on the course site
    • If completed satisfactorily, it will achieve a pass grade
  • Attend the 1-hour NMP course update session by live webinar or access the videos on practice assessment, and optionally attend the live webinar sessions that take place after each of the 1-hour updates

*Please note: if you have already done the 'Transition to SSSA' (e.g. you are on your local register as a Practice Supervisor or Assessor for other students), you only need to attend the prescribing course update.

For NMPs who need to complete the 'Prescribing Practice Supervision' course, please enrol on our Prescribing Practice Supervision course.

Enrol on our Prescribing Practice Supervision course

All practitioners involved in practice supervision or assessment need to attend an update with respect to the NMP course unless you have had a recent Prescribing student. Webinar updates are offered throughout the year and need to be booked so the applicant's professional form can be approved.

Our online resources contain course documents and information about practice assessment as well as video recordings for DMPs or experienced NMP supervisors who are unable to attend a live webinar.

Discover our resources

For information or queries, please contact us at prescribing@derby.ac.uk.