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Independent prescribing

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by hannah999, Mar 29, 2015.

  1. hannah999

    hannah999 Member


    Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
    I'm sorry if there is already a thread regarding independent prescribing, I did search but couldn't find one.
    I would be really interested to find out how many private podiatrists (or NHS for that matter) have used their independent prescribing rights, what have you prescribed and what are your experiences of this.
     
  2. ProspectivePod

    ProspectivePod Active Member

    I'd be interested to know this too, due to the way training for sp/in prescribing is most are probably NHS workers.
     
  3. Tracy.gill

    Tracy.gill Active Member

    hi i am disappointed that having acquired the POMS annotation and LA cert I still cannot buy antibiotics for nail surgery patients (if required). the qualifications only allow me to buy LA or POM medicaments from suppliers. As a sole trader how on earth can I get independent prescribing ?
     
  4. ProspectivePod

    ProspectivePod Active Member

    Hi Tracy,

    That seems rather odd that you cannot access antibiotics considering there are a couple that POMS certification should allow you to sell or supply in the course of your professional practice. Hopefully someone with more knowledge can help you with this. I don't even start my podiatry studies until september so am not well versed in these matters :)

    Regarding independent prescribing, I have read that you need a doctor to supervise you for a part of the course. Whilst I doubt this is much of an issue in the NHS, for private practitioners i'm sure this presents a problem. I'd love to eventually do independent prescribing once qualified etc, its just the admin and logistics look like there going to be an exceptional hassle. Hopefully I'm going to be proved wrong.

    Its a real shame that SP and IND prescribing couldn't have been added into the undergraduate degree programme (I'm sure there are reasons as to why not) even if it meant an extra year of study. I'd have been happy with that and would have made more sense for those in private practice considering the lack of NHS podiatry posts currently and for the foreseeable future.

    All the best,
    Ashley
     
  5. drscouse

    drscouse Member

    Colleagues

    I thought I would come on and provide some, hopefully, helpful answers to the queries posted.

    Firstly the access to Antibiotics for those with POMS

    We have three ABs on our list and those along with the other exemptions are found as per below

    http://www.scpod.org/news/podiatrists-exemptions-list/


    You can access this via a pharmacy with a signed order provision.
    Instead of providing directly to your patient in the clinic
    I have attached a paper on this with an example you may wish to use - this allows for appropriate secondary checking. It is not a prescription but forms the basis of good practice similar to those using prescriptions.


    Secondly

    To find out who has completed an SP or IP course this is found on the HCPC website. The challenge is sifting through them all and finding the answer can take a while. There is no search function at this time. As a College we hold some of the information when practitioners tell us but it is not mandated in any way.

    There are a number of NHS and PP members who have accessed the training and are now using it in practice. In fact the first person to complete the IP course (conversion from SP) was in PP.

    The change has been a fantastic boost for members and hopefully something more people will take advantage of. We are in the process of evaluating the outcome and benefits over the coming months to year and hopefully can publish this in due course.


    Thirdly

    The issue of access to these courses at U/G level is always a good and interesting point
    The reason why this is not the case -even with an extra years training is the exposure to even basic practice is limited. Those of us who are a little longer in the tooth would agree with this element of practice and the implications of use of medicines does really need that period (5 years at the moment) of clinical experience to allow you to be competent and confident to utilise this element of our practice.

    I do see why not in the future that this may or may not change and be in some way augmented / delivered in different ways with changing parameters but for now the access to these courses are as they are.

    I hope this has gone some way to answer the queries posted

    with regards


    Matt
     

    Attached Files:

  6. dianenicholl

    dianenicholl Welcome New Poster

    Dear Tracey,

    You can buy fluclox and erythromycins from any pharmacist just take along your HPCP card, and then supply your patients.

    The London Southbank University has a 6-month independent prescribing course. It is one day a week for 6 months, but allow up to a second day per week for all the study components.

    I have just completed the course and it is very comprehensive and will really expand your knowledge and scope of practice. I highly recommend it. There are several other universities who have the same course, just find one local to you.

    Best wishes

    Diane
     
  7. hannah999

    hannah999 Member

    Thanks very much for your replies. It's really encouraging to see pods taking the opportunities that we now have open to us.

    Diane, could I ask in what ways the course has helped you expand your practice? And sorry if it is a stupid question but does IP status (as opposed to POMs annotation on HCPC registration) allow you to prescribe just a wider range of what the POMs does (antibiotics/LA) or is the pharmacological world your oyster?!
     
  8. dianenicholl

    dianenicholl Welcome New Poster

    Once completed you can prescribe anything from the BNF that relates to your professional work. For example a wider range of antibiotics, medication for gout, oral antifungals, and a wider range of analgesics.

    The course covers all body systems and how medication works within them so increases your application of your knowledge within the field you work in.

    Best wishes

    Diane
     
  9. ProspectivePod

    ProspectivePod Active Member

    Thanks Matt for your detailed reply. Really promising to hear that independent prescribing is being utilised by private practice podiatrists and isn't the impossible task some had led to believe. Gives me some confidence that no matter what routes we go down, the same opportunities to advance scope of practice and offer a more complete service are open to all.

    Good point about the comments regarding undergrad/postgrad and like you say the decision for training as is does make sense. The theory could be implemented but the clinical practice of prescribing and honing those unique set of skills that prescribing requires like you said is better taught as it currently is. I know medical programmes often teach the clinical side of prescribing in the two years after school therefore the training as it currently stands is probably the best way to achieve suitably qualified and safe non-medical prescribers. Don't know why I didn't really think like that before hand. Oh well, got me thinking which is never a bad thing :)

    Thanks for addressing some of my misconceptions
    Ashley
     
  10. podiatry-world.co.uk supplies us the full range of what we can supply in regards to pharmaceuticals as long as you have your POM's certification from HCPC. You just order it at wholesale costs (well wholesale-ish, ha). They also supply all of the stuff we use on a daily basis but i find they are not the cheapest so i only use them for drugs and the odd special offer they have. Hope this helps.
     
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