PG Cert Independent Prescribing and Clinical Decision Making
- Entry year:
- 2025/26
- Start date:
- September
- Study mode:
- Part-time
- Course duration:
- 30 weeks
- Campus:
- City
Why study this course with LJMU?
Our Postgraduate Certificates (PgCerts) enable you to study masters level modules in a specific area of practice relevant to your specialism or chosen area of development.
Our PgCerts are ideal if you:
- Would like to experience level 7 study in a particular area of practice without the commitment to a full Masters award
- Are looking for specific areas of professional development or training
- Already have a masters degree and are looking to focus on specialist practice
- Want to undertake a masters eventually and gain some credits that can be transferred into the masters award.
The PgCert in Independent Prescribing and Clinical Decision Making is a comprehensive package of essential knowledge, skills and tools to enhance your professional development within this area of practice.
About this course
A comprehensive package of essential knowledge, skills and tools to enhance your professional development within this area of practice.
PgCert Independent Prescribing and Clinical Decision Making is delivered part-time over 6 months.
It comprises three 20 credit modules that enable health professionals to develop knowledge, skills and understanding key to development in a clinical practice setting.
The course prepares you to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively in accordance with the legal, professional and regulatory requirements. It also provides you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to safely undertake patient-centred, holistic assessment in order to autonomously manage an episode of care within your scope of practice.
It will also equip you with the knowledge and skills to apply pathophysiology theory to practice through a series of patient presentations.
The programme of learning occurs over a 30 week period (excluding standard university closures):
7100NPAPP - Independent and Supplementary Prescribing
- 15 weeks
- September to January
7008NAPPG - Applied Pathophysiology
- 15 weeks
- January to April
7002NAPPG - Clinical Assessment and Decision Making
- 15 weeks
- January to April
Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
The course will be delivered through a combination of face to face teaching and online learning.
7100NPAPP - Independent and Supplementary Prescribing
The programme utilises a variety of teaching and learning approaches that are designed to engage and inspire students. These include lectures, seminars, group work activities, simulation and tutorials. The range of learning and teaching strategies that are applied across the programme seek to develop and foster independence in the acquisition of knowledge and facilitate the application of theoretical knowledge. Students will therefore:
- Be enabled in acquiring knowledge through supported independent learning. This will include being directed to scholarly activities that will prepare them for scheduled teaching activity that is provided directly by members of staff in real time, either face-to-face or synchronous online. This may take the form of lectures, seminars, tutorials and webcasts.
- Be supported in engaging in online asynchronous activity. Examples include asynchronous tutorial discussions, tutor-facilitated discussion boards, and tutor-facilitated collaborations. While they may not be present at the same times as the students, academic staff actively, iteratively and directly engage with students to facilitate and guide learning, and are visible, engaged and active in the virtual learning environment.
7002NAPPG - Clinical Assessment and Decision Making
The module consists of 6 lecture based sessions and 6 practical or workshop sessions over a 12 week period with an assessment at week 15.
This module will be facilitated through a blend of lectures and practical workshops. The module provides students with an opportunity for interprofessional learning within both a lecture and practical setting. It enables the student to critically explore clinical assessment and decision making to underpin differential diagnosis and formulate a management plan. Students will be expected to apply learning to within their own area of practice and identify their own opportunities to enhance further learning.
7008NAPPG - Applied Pathophysiology
This module will run over 15 weeks and will be facilitated through a combination of face to face delivery and online learning. This module will provide an opportunity for interprofessional learning in the application of pathophysiology to practice. Students will explore a series of clinical cases, covering a range of conditions and disease and will provide a deeper level of understanding of pathophysiology.
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Your Learning Experience
An insight into teaching on your course
The course uses a variety of teaching and learning approaches designed to engage and inspire you. These may include lectures, seminars, group work activities, simulation and tutorials, and may involve both on-campus and online learning.
As you progress through the PgCert, you will develop and use progressively higher-order and mastery-level skills, as well as further developing subject-specific knowledge. This will support you to become an inquiring and confident learner, fostering independence in the acquisition, and application of, theoretical knowledge.
You will be:
- Empowered to acquire knowledge through supported, independent learning. This will include being directed to scholarly activities that will prepare you for scheduled teaching activity.
- Supported in engaging in online asynchronous activity. Examples include tutorial discussions, tutor-facilitated discussion boards and collaborative or individual projects, such as wikis, padlets, blogs and e-portfolios. Dedicated and experienced academic staff will actively, iteratively and directly engage with you to facilitate and guide your learning.
RPEL opportunities within this programme may be available in part (up to 60 credits) for the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme within LJMU.
For advice and guidance about RPEL or credit transfer at LJMU please visit the academic framework pages for more information and guidance https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/academic-quality-and-regulations/academic-framework
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
The assessment requirements of the programme and each module are designed to reflect assessments that are authentic and relevant to todays health professional.
7100NPAPP - Independent and Supplementary Prescribing
The assessment for this module meets the validated requirements of the NMC and HCPC for registration as a prescriber.
Students will be assessed using a pharmacology and law examination (pass mark 80%), portfolio (pass mark 50%), a clinical assessment document (Pass or Fail) and a numeracy examination (Pass or Fail with 100% required for a pass to be recorded). Their portfolio will incorporate reflections (One reflection on a clinical case, will be graded using level 7 criteria), a personal formulary, a log of practice hours and their learning needs assessment. Their clinical assessment document to demonstrate their achievement of the RPS Competency Framework (Pass or Fail).
7002NAPPG - Clinical Assessment and Decision Making
The assessment for this module is across two elements that are designed to reflect in practice and simulated practice knowledge, skills and abilities.
Assessment item 1 (practical exam) all elements within the exam must be passed to pass the assessment overall. Should the student fail one or more elements of the assessment then the student will fail overall and must refer all components again.
Assessment item 2 (Competency) at least 4 of the MiniCEx must be submitted in order to achieve a pass. Should the student fail to submit or submit less than 4 then a fail mark will be recorded.
7008NAPPG - Applied Pathophysiology
Assessment of this module is through a written examination undertaken over 2 hours which is facilitated through the use of a computer and VLE software and is taken within the LJMU premises.
Where you will study
What you can expect from your School
The School of Nursing and Advanced Practice is based within Tithebarn Building in the heart of Liverpool and close to rail and bus public transport connections. It adjoins the Avril Robarts Library, which offers a wealth of learning and study support resources.
Course tutors
Mark Vann
- Programme Lead
Mark Vann is a Paramedic and Advanced Clinical Practitioner by background who has been working as a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education since 2021. Mark's clinical background is paramedic practice and walk-in and urgent care services and his academic experience extends to teaching and delivering subjects across both postgraduate and undergraduate programmes including MSc Advanced Clinical Practice, BSc Paramedic Practice and MSci Nurse Paramedic programmes. Mark's research interests include examining witnessed cardiac arrest responses, and the developments of digitalisation in the NHS including the use of AI.
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Lecturer/Senior Lecturer
Career paths
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
The knowledge, skills and clinical understanding provided within this course are highly sought after within enhanced and advanced clinical practice and health professionals seeking to develop as higher level practitioners. This continued professional development programme is designed to support further development of health professionals who may wish to develop these specialised skills in practice.
Tuition fees and funding
- Home part-time per year:
- £3,200
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi.
Financial Support
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
Fees
The fees quoted cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- Library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to programme-appropriate software
- Library and student IT support
- Free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Funding
Opportunities for funding may be available through your workplace employer or alternatively through the Postgraduate Masters Loan scheme. More information can be found https://www.gov.uk/masters-loan
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.
We are looking for practitioners within healthcare who embody the core NHS values and constitution, have the drive to enhance practice and innovate to effect positive change for patients are carers, in the role and speciality within which they work.
Additional requirements for entry are specified for the Independent Prescribing module within this programme. These are:
- Applicants must be registered with either NMC as a Nurse (level 1)/Midwife/SCPHN, or HCPC with a minimum of 1 years post registration experience in the clinical field in which they are intending to prescribe.
- Students applying to complete the independent and supplementary prescribing qualification at level 7 should have evidence of previous degree level study.
- Confirmation of satisfactory references and DBS checks are also required and recorded via completion of the NWNMPEG application form.
Additional requirements for entry are specified for the Clinical Assessment and Decision Making module within this programme. These are:
- Applicants must be able to facilitate the achievement of the assessment of competency required with an appropriately qualified supervisor and within an appropriate clinical setting.
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The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.