Press Releases

New Pharmacy course meets national needs – University of Reading

Release Date : 02 December 2004

A Supplementary Prescribing Course for Pharmacists at The University of Reading's newly-established School of Pharmacy will be taking in its first cohort of students in January 2005. The course, which will help prepare pharmacists to practice as supplementary prescribers, has just received accreditation from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB). This comes shortly after the School also obtained Stage 3 Accreditation from the RPSGB to enrol students on to the Master of Pharmacy programme from October 2005. "We are tremendously excited about the fast pace of development of the School," said Professor Gavin Brooks, Head of the School of Pharmacy. "The School will serve as a regional centre for post-graduate education for registered Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians in the Thames Valley area and beyond. "This new part-time postgraduate course has been developed in response to the Government initiative to extend prescribing to registered pharmacists. It helps meet the training needs identified by the NHS Strategic Health Authority and the regional Primary Care Trusts." The course, which lasts for approximately six months, will be delivered in conjunction with the course for Nurse Prescribers, with the University's School of Health and Social Care. Over half of the taught element of the programme will be inter-professional. A variety of teaching methods will be used to include lectures, seminars, e-learning, workshops, role-play, discussion, reflection and critical incident analysis. In addition, students complete a Portfolio, which includes an individual learning contract, a reflective journal, a record of practice/learning experience and overall achievement. Each student will have a designated medical practitioner (DMP) from his or her own field of practice, who will provide supervision, support and shadowing opportunities. The course is open to experienced pharmacists at Level 4 (M). On successful completion, students will be awarded 30 academic credits and receive the University of Reading Further Professional Studies Practice Certificate in Supplementary Prescribing. Any pharmacist wishing to obtain SHA funding for the course, needs to make an application using a form which is available electronically from Julie Dandridge, Pharmacy Adviser, Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority. Email: julie.dandridge@tvha.nhs.uk Enquiries or applications for the programme should be made to Dr Angela Alexander, the Programme Director. Please contact her on (tel) 01628 777 451, or (email) a.m.alexander@rdg.ac.uk End For media enquiries, please contact Craig Hillsley, press officer, The University of Reading Tel: 0118 378 7388 Email: c.hillsley@rdg.ac.uk