Prescribing Pharmacist
Prescribing pharmacists provide an independent and supplementary prescribing service which is safe and effective and takes into account the needs of patients, the professions and the relevant health organisations.
Area of practice
Inpatient (ward).
Overview of tasks and activities
Clinical duties
- Support nurse practitioners with their prescribing
- Review inpatient drug charts
- Conduct weekly antimicrobial ward round with a microbiologist
Administrative duties
- Write discharge letters
- Participate in morbidity and mortality meetings where drug errors are discussed
- Assist ward staff to develop protocols.
Liaison between patients and doctors
- Assess patient health
- Make clinical decisions on how to manage medical conditions, including prescribing medication
Supervision and management
Overseen by a designated medical prescriber.
Autonomy
A prescribing pharmacist may prescribe autonomously for any condition within their clinical competence. This currently excludes controlled drugs for the treatment of addiction.
Eligibility for training
- Candidates must be a registered pharmacist with the GPhC or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
- At least two years' appropriate patient-orientated experience in a UK hospital, community or primary care setting following their pre-registration year
- Identify an area of clinical practice in which to develop their prescribing skills and have up-to-date clinical, pharmacological and pharmaceutical knowledge relevant to their intended area of prescribing practice
- Demonstrate how they reflect on their own performance and take responsibility for their own CPD
Training
- To qualify as an independent prescriber, a pharmacist must complete a part-time programme – typically over six months – accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Supplementary prescribers can undertake a conversion course to become a qualified independent prescriber over about four days
Professional accountability
General Pharmaceutical Council or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Banding
Band 7.