What is the role of a Non-Medical Prescriber?
Non-medical prescribing (NMP) is the term used to describe any prescribing completed by a healthcare professional other than a doctor or dentist. NMP has demonstrated patient care and economic benefits. Consequently, investing in NMP is seen as ‘an investment to save’ and encouraging NMP capacity is seen as a vital upskilling priority and features as a key enabler in the planning and delivery of new care models and transforming care. NMP training can support role and career development by enabling practitioners to take on greater responsibilities for managing patient care. NMP enhances patient care by supporting patients’ timely access to treatment with medicines, enabling choice whilst helping to reduce waiting times, reduce hospital admissions and maximising the wider skills of the healthcare team. More Information regarding the role can be found here – https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/medicines-optimisation/training-non-medical-prescribers
Funded Courses
The CCG has access to funds for Non-Medical Prescribing training (NMP V300). The aim of this unit is to prepare suitably qualified nurses and AHPs (including paramedics) to become safe and competent independent/supplementary prescribers.
There is stringent criteria to allow access to this course, an applicant must have:
- Registration with the relevant professional regulatory body.
- Sufficient post registration experience (3 years for nurses and AHP, 2 years for pharmacists).
- DBS within 3 years of the programme start date.
- Passed a numeracy test (to be arranged with local NMP lead)
- Nomination by the applicant of a Designated Medical Practitioner (DMP) who meets the criteria for medical supervision of a non-medical prescriber and has confirmed their agreement to undertake this role. The DMP must be sufficiently impartial to the outcome of the student and wherever possible should not be the same person sponsoring the student to undertake the programme.
- The DMP will need to mentor the applicant through the course, and commit to 45 hrs (over the 6 month course) of direct supervision (the NMP will also need an additional minimum of 45 hrs of patient facing time).
- Nomination by the employer, who should also confirm their competence to undertake the programme and the clinical need within the applicants role to undertake the programme.
- All applicants must demonstrate appropriate clinical governance arrangements are in place to support their prescribing practice once qualified.
At most universities, this is a 6 month course and delegates would need to attend university for one day per week (details of which Universities you can access for this course are shown at the back of the application form). If you are interested in applying for this programme and you meet the above eligibility criteria you will need to:
i) Practices/individuals to discuss this development with one of the NMP Leads, Faduma Abukar before formally applying. The best contact for Faduma for this type of query is STOCCG.medsopadmin@nhs.net
ii) Individuals complete the NMP course (V300) Application Form which can be found via this link – https://www.gmthub.co.uk/offers/nmp-funding and return this to Faduma. Please do not send this directly to the university.
iii) The completed NMP approved application forms will then be sent by the NMP Lead to the GM Training Hub for final authorisation.
iv) The GM Training Hub will contact the applicant and advise when their application has been authorised and the next steps to book onto a course.
Further information can be found here – Non-Medical Prescribing | Greater Manchester Training Hub (gmthub.co.uk)