Advanced Pharmacy Practice MSc / PGDip

Overview

This programme provides education and training for experienced pharmacists (at least 2 years post-registration) to develop advanced level knowledge and skills whilst working in practice.

The NHS is currently experiencing an unprecedented demand for services, with an increasing recognition of the need to provide personalised and seamless care. Pharmacists in every sector are in a position to play a key leadership role in addressing these challenges and innovating for the future.

This programme is mapped to both the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Advanced Pharmacy Framework (APF) and the NHS Long Term Plan, to ensure that students can thrive in the NHS of the future and work towards becoming consultant pharmacists. It is designed for experienced pharmacists working in Primary Care, Secondary Care and Community Pharmacy.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team is key to the development of relationships and experience in any healthcare setting. The University of Bradford School of Pharmacy & Medical Sciences is well positioned to ensure that multidisciplinary learning and working is at the forefront of the course design due to its close involvement with programmes for other allied health professionals, including physician associates, nurses and paramedics.

As an experienced pharmacist you will be guided in the choice of modules available on this programme to best suit your intended direction of development and career progression in line with the RPS Advanced Pharmacy Framework.

This is a part-time blended learning programme. The programme is delivered as a mixture of study days at the University of Bradford, webinars and self-directed learning.

Learning and assessment

The programme uses a blended and flexible approach to learning, which allows students to choose the most appropriate route for them. The learning and teaching strategy includes attendance at study days, eLearning, role play, webinars and work-based learning. Students will also produce an eportfolio each year to demonstrate their progression along the Advanced Pharmacy Framework (APF); the professional benchmark at this level.

There is optionality for students throughout the programme, both in their choice of modules and in their choice of assignments. This allows a personalised learning experience to suit each student’s development needs. Most optional modules will include inter-professional learning with other healthcare professionals, giving students the opportunity to learn with, and about others.

The programme is designed to provide students with continuous formative and summative assessment and feedback to enable them to develop and demonstrate their knowledge of the topics as well as their work-based skills.

Students will demonstrate:

• The confidence and ability to communicate effectively with patients and healthcare professionals, including communicating complex, contentious or sensitive information
• The ability to take a leadership role as a member of the healthcare team to provide safe, high-quality person-centred care.

Career prospects

Past students have gone on to gain promotion with their current or a different employer and/or sector of pharmacy.

You must have a degree in pharmacy, have been registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) for at least two years, and have access to practice/clinical experience through employment in pharmacy within the UK. Your employer must be willing and capable of providing support for your studies.