Roles and Responsibilities

An explanation of the roles: Designated Prescribing Practitioner and Practice Supervisor

Designated Prescribing Practitioner

The DPP will observe and assess the student’s development and progress in clinical practice. The student is required to work a minimum of 30 hours under the direct observation of the DPP. As the DPP, you need to be satisfied the student meets each competency as defined by A Competency Framework for All Prescribers (RPS, 2021). It is required that a minimum of four meetings take place over the 6 months to give formative feedback and plan, with the student, the next phase of their clinical learning. The DPP will have opportunities to collaborate with Practice Supervisors.

Academic Assessor

The student will be allocated an Academic Assessor at the beginning of the NMP V300. Their role is to support the student’s academic progress and learning, and will be give formative feedback on academic work. There will be communication between the Academic Assessor and DPP at midway point and summative point, to be documented by the Academic Assessor. This is in support of the DPP and collaboration of the student’s progress. Where possible, the nominated AA will be matched to the student by clinical background. This will not always be possible. The teaching team are qualified and experienced independent prescribers.

Practice Supervisor

When the student is not working directly with the DPP, we encourage students to use the opportunity to work with other professionals, preferably those who prescribe, but must be working in an area that will inform your prescribing role. For example, specialists related to their clinical area, members of the wider multi-disciplinary team (MDT) such as a pharmacist, microbiologist, physiotherapist, nurses and others. These clinical visits / opportunities must be documented. Each one of these people would act as Practice Supervisor (PS) for that episode. Unlike the nominated AA and DPP, the student can have multiple PSs and, while the student can work with one PS on multiple occasions, the Practice Supervisors are not obliged to work with the student over the full 6 months. Practice Supervisors will have the opportunity to collaborate with DPP and have contact with Academic Assessors.

Responsibilities

The AA and the DPP will communicate with each other over the 6 months of the NMP V300, at the beginning, mid-way and summative points. This can be done by email or telephone. The DPP and the PS are welcome to contact the AA or Course Director at any time.

The roles of DPP and Practice Supervisor should not be held by the same person for the same student. Nor should the Academic Assessor simultaneously hold the roles of DPP and PS for the same student. Under usual circumstances, these roles will be fulfilled by different individuals. Exceptional circumstances might mean that two roles are fulfilled by one person. Exceptional circumstances would constitute prolonged absence from work through:

Illness
Leaving the clinical role / job

If the DPP has to step down, another person to fulfil this role should be identified as quickly as possible. If one of the Practice Supervisors meets the criteria of DPP, they can either temporarily or permanently assume the role of DPP. A signed agreement will be needed from the replacement DPP (temporary or permanent). Any change of circumstances / change of role must be communicated in a timely way with the Academic Assessor. Collaboration should take place between the Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor, and Practice Supervisor, to minimise the disruption to the student. If another practice Assessor cannot be identified after two weeks of the original PA stepping down, the nominated Academic Assessor can fulfil this role until a permanent Practice Assessor can be identified. It would be preferable for one individual to fulfil the role of AA and DPP simultaneously temporarily, rather than leave the student without sufficient support and guidance.

In the event that the same person has fulfilled the role of DPP and Practice Supervisor for the same student, the student’s summative work will be flagged for external moderation, regardless of the grade, to ensure transparency and fairness. (Please note, external examiners moderate all referred work and a minimum of 10% of all passes, covering the full range of grades. This is to confirm marking / grading is consistent and fair.)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5