The PGDip Pharmacy Practice programme is a practice-based course, which offers students’ academic support through a series of modules at Level 7. The programme upholds and promotes the principles of lifelong learning developed on the course and the professional requirements for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Students will be encouraged to consider credentialling on the RPS Post-Registration Foundation Pharmacist pathway. This programme supports pharmacists across sectors of clinical practice to develop the required knowledge, skills and attributes during their post-registration early practice years, leading to established practice, with potential to continue their development journey progressing to advanced and consultant or specialist practice. The curriculum will develop pharmacists who are able to practice in accordance with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) Enhanced Curriculum Framework, and consequently embrace clinical, pharmaceutical and patient service competence.

The aim of the PGDip Pharmacy Practice programme is to equip practitioners with the core skills and attributes they require to provide patient care in their practice setting within a multidisciplinary team. The programme offers core and optional modules at Level 7 to support pharmacists’ development in their area of practice and interest. The Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is offered as a core module in Year 1 to support all students’ baseline progress into Year 2, where competency across all domains of the RPS Enhanced Curriculum Framework is expected at the end of Year 2.

Why choose this course? 

 The programme is linked to the RPS Enhanced Curriculum Framework. There is an opportunity for the transfer of credits/qualifications between universities (subject to approval).

 Clinical practice and subject focused study days are supported by our internationally renowned simulation suite and delivered by experts in practice.

Course Structure:
The programme has been designed for pharmacists who wish to further develop their clinical practice, leadership, research, personal and professional skills in the provision of safe and effective patient care. Students can study towards a PGCert award in Year 1 with progression to the PGDip in Year 2. In Years 1 and 2, students undertake work-based learning that is supported by a workplace educational supervisor and attend monthly study days at the University of Hertfordshire. Students can undertake core and optional modules in Year 1 relevant to their practice and dependent on their Independent Prescriber annotation status on the GPhC register at the point of enrolment. 

• Knowledge and understanding (KU1 – KU6) are assessed through practice portfolio, case study reports based on simulated scenarios and care provision in the workplace and submission of written assignments and presentation where applicable. KU7 is assessed through submission of written assignments or a dissertation where applicable.
• Intellectual skills are assessed through practice portfolio and written assignments. Submission of a project report in a field of pharmacy practice. 
• Practical skills are assessed through practice portfolio exercises in the workplace. 
• Transferable skills are assessed through the range of assignments built into the curriculum. Skill TS1 - TS7 is assessed through the written portfolio using, written coursework, oral presentations and practice portfolio.

Learning Outcomes:

Learning outcomes are split into four different types:

Intellectual skills
On successful completion of this programme, a student will be able to:

• Critically analyse relevant contexts to support holistic provision of care based on a person-centred and integrated systems approach.
• Demonstrate the ability to use an evidence-based approach in practice.
• Critically examine how changing NHS and government policy have an impact on pharmacy practice and inform the safe rational and effective use of medicines.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the tools and skills required to be an effective pharmacy practitioner.
• Demonstrate scholarship, initiative and critical autonomy in tackling and resolving problems related to own and related research.
• Make recognised contributions of value to wider debates and developments in the field of pharmacy practice and healthcare.

Knowledge and understanding
On successful completion of this programme a student will have knowledge and understanding of:

• The concept of healthcare and pharmacy services delivery within care systems for patient and public benefit.
• The components that underpin the knowledge required to maintain an enhanced level of practice progressing beyond.
• The Competency Framework associated with the Professional Practice of Pharmacy.
• Evidence based approaches to practice including a critical appraisal of clinical literature, established practice and emerging new therapies.
• The structure and organisation of healthcare services planning, commissioning, delivery and evaluation.
• The aetiology, prevention, pathology and treatment of diseases affecting major biological systems.
• How established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create, interpret, evaluate and apply new knowledge within practice.

Practical skills
On successful completion a student will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to deal with complex pharmaceutical and patient care issues in an autonomous manner.
• Prioritise pharmaceutical and patient care issues in order of importance based on reasoned clinical judgement.
• Demonstrate competence in prescribing consultation activities considering the impact of their prescribing practice and the wider team.

Transferable skills
On successful completion of this programme, a student will be able to:

• Demonstrate leadership skills commensurate with their practice whilst supporting the development and wellbeing of others.
• Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary health and care team.
• Exercise initiative and personal responsibility demonstrating independent learning.
• Undertake decision making in complex and unpredictable situations.
• Communicate effectively with specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Demonstrate self-reflective skills as a professional practitioner.
• Effectively utilise digital technological skills to undertake inquiry and delivery of health services
  

This programme has the following discipline specific/optional modules

7HSK0293: Leadership Education and Developing Others

7LMS0173: Therapeutics of Skin Conditions

7LMS0246: Service Review and Improvement

7LMS0251: Evidence Based Practice – Online Learning

7LMS2038: Clinical Patient Care 2

7LMS2039: Clinical Patient Care 3

7HML2021: Cancer Therapeutics and Supportive Management

7HML2000: Applied Clinical Practice in Pharmacy

7HML2022: Pharmaceutical Care for Older People

7HML2001: Integrating Prescribing into Practice