V300 Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Registered Nurses

To be considered for a place on the V300 Independent and Supplementary prescribing programme, you must provide evidence that you meet this entry criteria:

NMC registration

NMC registrants: Registered Nurse (Level 1), midwife or SCPHN, must be registered with the NMC for a minimum of one year prior to applying for entry to the programme, usually with one year’s relevant experience in the clinical field in which they are intending to prescribe

Enhanced DBS

Have a satisfactory enhanced disclosure clearance (DBS), dated within three years of the programme start date.

Academic ability

Have the academic ability to study at the level required for the programme (i.e. academic Level 6 (degree level) or Level 7 (master’s level). Evidence of this is required on the application form.

Experience and skills

Have the ability to practise safely and effectively as a Registered Nurse at a level of proficiency appropriate to the V300 programme and your intended area of prescribing practice in all of the following areas:

> clinical/health assessment

> diagnostics/care management

> planning/evaluating care

Evidence of this must be supported by evidence on the application form.

Governance arrangements

Your workplace must have appropriate clinical governance arrangements in place for you to practise as a Registered Nurse Independent/Supplementary Prescriber, including indemnity insurance arrangements

Protected learning time

You are required to attend 24 study sessions/ complete online study, so you will need protected learning time approved by your manager, plus 90 hours of supervised prescriber practice, either in your workplace, or with other prescribers across different learning environments across the programme (26 weeks). These 90 hours must be protected by your employer. Approval of this must be provided by your employer, on the manager's reference form.

Registered Nurses working in independent practice

In addition to the entry requirements above, additional information is required for nurses working in independent practice:

Non NHS and self-employed applicants:

If you are a self-funding applicant, or work independently, in private practice, or external to the NHS, then you will need to assure us that you will have protected learning time to meet the programme requirements at university, study and for the 90 hours of supervised prescriber practice. You must additionally provide information relating to entry criteria that are usually signed off by an NHS manager or non-medical prescribing lead and will be requested to provide the following information:

One professional reference that addresses the points identified above. The referee must be either an NMC/HCPC/GPhC registrant. They must have recent knowledge of your practice and they must be able to provide their professional registration number. They must confirm that you have the ability to practice safely and effectively as a Registered Nurse at a level of proficiency appropriate to the V300 programme and your intended area of prescribing practice in all of the following areas:

> clinical/health assessment

> diagnostics/care management

> planning/evaluating care

On the application form, in the personal statement, you need to provide details of your anticipated prescribing role on completion of the programme, including conditions for which you intend to prescribe.

You need to provide details of the clinical governance process that will be employed to support the safety of your prescribing, for example indemnity insurance, health and safety legislation.

The budgetary arrangement for your prescribing, e.g. will you be using an NHS prescriber code or private prescription?

This 40-credit V300 programme for Registered Nurses will enable you to become a safe and competent independent and supplementary (non-medical) prescriber of medicines (from the British National Formulary).

You will learn to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost-effectively in your role as an NMC registered nurse (level 1), community specialist practitioner (SPQ) or specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN). Following successful completion of the programme, you will be eligible to be recorded as an independent/supplementary prescriber (V300) on the NMC register. It is an excellent opportunity to advance to senior roles, including an advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) or an advanced clinical practitioner (ACP).