The project came about with close working relationships between Kings College London and the Hammersmith and Fulham Partnership PCN, with whom I work with as a site-lead pharmacist.
Over the past 6 years we have received MPharm students from KCL for placements within primary care. With the direction of travel moving to undergraduates qualifying as independent prescribers, this pilot scheme project helped to understand the requirements of prescribing, the thought processes behind it and the considerations before making the decision. We sat on both the steering group to help develop this project and also hosted 10 students across the five surgeries within the primacy care network.
The 6-day placement was designed to provide students with an appreciation of the special relationship formed between patients and prescribers to further develop their ability to be responsible and accountable for the care they provide. This experience involved close supervision by an independent prescriber and collaboration with the wider clinical team. It also included simulation learning, run by Kings Health Partners, detailed adherence training, through the CARE team of clinical psychologists at KCL and an introduction into physical assessments required for the rotation.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and the students both valued and enjoyed their experience. This is reflected in the attached final report document.
