Independent Prescribing for Allied Health Professionals

Entry requirements

Confirm you meet the professional entry requirements:

• You must be registered with the HCPC in one of the relevant Allied Health Professions (physiotherapists, podiatrists, therapeutic radiographers, paramedics, diagnostic radiographers, dietitians).
• You are normally expected to have at least three years relevant post-qualification experience in the clinical area in which you will be prescribing.
• You must be working at an advanced practitioner or equivalent level.
• You must be professionally practising in an environment where there is an identified need for you to regularly use independent or supplementary prescribing.
• You must be able to demonstrate support from your employer/sponsor including confirmation you will have appropriate supervised practice in the clinical area in which you are expected to prescribe.
• You must be able to demonstrate medicines and clinical governance arrangements are in place to support safe and effective independent or supplementary prescribing.
• You must be able to demonstrate how you reflect on your own performance and take responsibility for your own Continuing Professional Development (CPD) including development of networks for support, reflection and learning.

Applicants must have a Designated Prescribing Practitioner, the DPP, (also called a practice educator) to support their learning, this is an HCPC requirement. Information about the role is available in the document in this section. It is the responsibility of the applicant to secure this support, you should only apply once you have agreement to support you from the nominated DPP.

• Information on the role of the DPP

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Train to become an independent prescriber on our postgraduate Non-Medical Prescribing programme for allied health professionals. The programme comprises a variety of teaching and learning methods, including in-person study days, self-directed study and online learning.

You will be expected to complete a minimum of 78 hours of learning in practice. Details of our accreditation can be found at HCPC accreditation. Since January 2020, this programme has been approved against the new HPC programme standards.

You will be expected to complete a minimum of 90 hours of learning in practice. Details of our accreditation can be found on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Since January 2020, this programme has been approved against the new GPhC programme standards.