The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7241 p394
22 March 2003

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NPC: Maintaining Competency in Prescribing (more)

National Prescribing Centre competency framework allows pharmacists to consider prescribing needs

A competency framework for supplementary prescribing by pharmacists, published by the National Prescribing Centre, will help prospective prescribers to identify their training needs.

Framework • The consultation Clinical and pharmaceutical knowledge, establishing options, communicating with patients • Prescribing effectively Prescribing safely, prescribing professionally, improving prescribing practice • Prescribing in context Information in context, the NHS in context, the team and individual in context

The framework divides the subject into three areas — the consultation, prescribing effectively and prescribing in context. In turn, these areas are divided into three competencies (see Panel) with behavioural indicators for each one.

The framework's guidance notes say that it is designed to be used as a starting point for discussion about the competencies required by any individual pharmacist or group of pharmacists regardless of their areas of practice. It warns that it will take time to work through the competency statements and decide how they apply to any prospective prescribers.

Dr Jim Smith, chief pharmaceutical officer at the Department of Health, says in a foreward that pharmacists have been looking to prescribe for a long time. Patient safety and quality of care will be central to supplementary prescribing, he says, and the framework will help pharmacists work within their knowledge and competence.

Copies of the framework have been sent to National Health Service and primary care bodies in England. The framework can be downloaded from the NPC website or from the NHSnet (nww.npc.ppa.nhs.uk).