Prescribing Development Programme

Enhancing your prescribing practice

Building your prescribing skills and confidence

Pharmacists across the UK are now being asked to provide clinical care from their first day of registration, to make prescribing a bigger part of their practice.

It's a big ask. So, to support you as a prescriber and RPS member, we are offering a new Prescribing Development Programme of education and learning materials.

About the Prescribing Development Programme

Why I should sign up to the prescribing programme?

The RPS prescribing programme is a comprehensive learning programme available as part of your RPS membership. It covers all aspects of being a prescriber: from getting started and first steps, to the practical challenges and nuances of prescribing in an area of practice, all the way to your next steps in your prescribing career.

Who is this programme for?

Whether you’re new to prescribing, an experienced prescriber, or are a long-time prescribing pharmacist exploring your next steps, our prescribing programme will help you. It has been created by experts and is suited to prescribing pharmacists in all sectors of practice. 

You do not have to be working as a prescriber already - in fact, you might be looking at getting started, or might be considering returning to prescribing after a gap. 

Our Prescribing Programme is for RPS members who are:

• Pharmacists planning to train as prescribers who want to build their prescribing knowledge and skill
• Prescribers returning to practice or changing or expanding their scope of practice
• Qualified prescribers who have recently qualified and are starting their prescribing practice
• Prescribers wanting to build their knowledge and skill
• Foundation trainees thinking about their future prescribing practice.

What happens once I sign up?

Once you sign up to the RPS Prescribing Development Programme, we will email you regularly with details of each new learning activity. Details of the activities are available for each theme below.

What will I get from the Prescribing Development Programme?

Our programme is designed to make you a better prescribing pharmacist, giving you the confidence to practice at the very best of your abilities, and ultimately benefit people in your care.

You'll get:

• A deeper level of prescribing-related knowledge and skills
• Clinical and non-clinical knowledge and skills related to prescribing
• Ongoing support and development throughout to help in your prescribing practice.

How does the programme work?

Our flexible programme offers a pick-and-choose approach to meet your individual learning needs. It's designed to adapt to your requirements and fit your personal and professional schedule.

You will start with guided insights on how to use the Prescribing Competency Framework and complete a self-assessment.

For more information, read the Prescribing Development Programme FAQs.

Let's talk prescribing!

A practical and engaging webinar designed to help you prescribe with confidence.

Watch the webinar

If you're thinking about prescribing, this practical and engaging webinar is a great place to start.

Hear from experienced professionals who share what prescribing looks like in real practice. The session explores how to assess your readiness, reflect on your learning needs, and manage some of the complexities and uncertainties that come with the role.

We also address common myths around prescribing, and offer clear advice on how to take the next step in your development. Whether you're just starting to explore the idea or preparing to apply, this webinar will help you feel more confident and informed.

Watch the webinar recording to support your learning and planning, and you’ll learn how to:

• Understand the structure, requirements and commitments of the prescribing programme
• Identify your current knowledge and learning needs
• Build strategies to navigate uncertainty and prescribe safely in complex clinical situations.

Speaker: Danny Bartlett, Lead Pharmacist, Horsham Central PCN and Senior Lecturer, University of Brighton

Component 1 - Getting started as a prescriber, with Sarah Baig

Expert Discussion

Are you starting out as a new prescriber, returning to prescribing, or changing/expanding your scope of practice? There are always new experiences in any prescribing journey, and there's a first time for everything.

This discussion dives into the early experiences of prescribing, from building confidence in clinical decisions to getting comfortable with the practicalities, like record keeping.

Whether you’re preparing for your first prescription or finding your footing in those early days, this expert discussion offers honest insights, tips, and reflections to help you feel prepared, supported, and safe in your new role.

Learning outcomes

• Explore what to expect in the early stages of your prescribing role, including common challenges and learning opportunities
• Recognise the importance of accurate and professional record keeping as a core part of safe prescribing practice
• Gain confidence in navigating common first-time prescribing scenarios, from clinical decision-making to patient communication.

Component 2 - Explore person-centred practice in our latest recommended reading

PJ article

Focusing on the principles that underpin safe, effective, and person-centred prescribing.

The link below is to an article from The Pharmaceutical Journal, and explores how person-centred care is essential to prescribing competence. It highlights the importance of understanding each patient’s individual context, involving them in decision-making, and adapting your approach to support better outcomes.

Principles of person-centred practice for prescribing

The article supports key elements of the programme, whether you're just starting to explore prescribing or are preparing to apply, including professional values, communication, and the patient relationship.

Learning outcomes

Discover:

• What person-centred prescribing looks like in practice
• Why shared decision-making and individualised care are central to prescribing competence
• How to develop these skills as part of your professional growth.

This is a valuable resource to support your reflection and development as you build confidence in prescribing.

Component 3 - Prescribing practice: Professional considerations

RPS Learn: e-learning module

Focuses on the professional and ethical responsibilities of prescribers, helping you build the confidence to make informed, ethical decisions and prepare for your next steps as a prescriber.

Prescribing Practice: Professional Considerations

Explore the frameworks, expectations, and reflective practices that underpin prescribing safely and effectively. 

Learning outcomes

• The key professional responsibilities of prescribers
• How to manage risk and uncertainty in prescribing practice
• The importance of maintaining professional standards and reflective practice.

For more e-learning content for pharmacists, visit our new online learning system RPS Learn.

Not part of the programme yet? Sign up to our Prescribing Development Programme today.

Component 1 - Self-assessment & Development

Webinar

A live webinar focusing on self-assessment and development planning for prescribers.

In this interactive session, you’ll reflect on your current prescribing practice, identify areas for growth, and explore strategies to continually develop your competence. The webinar includes practical exercises, case studies, and peer discussions to help you build confidence in evaluating and improving your prescribing skills.

Learning outcomes

• Use self-assessment frameworks to benchmark your prescribing competence
• Create a tailored development plan to support safe and effective prescribing
• Apply reflective practice to improve clinical decision-making
• Demonstrate increased awareness of personal limitations and strategies for addressing them.

This webinar supports the following competencies of the RPS Prescribing Competency Framework:

• Competency 9 – Improving prescribing practice
• Competency 10 – Prescribing as part of a team.

Component 2 - Introduction to the Prescribing Consultation

PJ article

An article introducing the principles and structure of the prescribing consultation.

Introduction to the Prescribing Consultation

With a focus on patient-centred care, shared decision-making, and safe prescribing practices, this article will provide an accessible overview of how to conduct an effective consultation.

• The essential stages of the prescribing consultation
• How to integrate patient preferences and values into decision-making
• Effective communication strategies for building rapport and trust
• Techniques for identifying red flags and safeguarding patient safety.

Learning outcomes

• Describe the structure of a safe and effective prescribing consultation
• Apply communication skills to enhance patient engagement
• Use shared decision-making frameworks to optimise prescribing outcomes
• Recognise when and how to escalate or refer appropriately.

This article supports the development of the following competencies of the RPS Prescribing Competency Framework:

• Competency 1 – Consultation
• Competency 2 – Prescribing effectively
• Competency 4 – Prescribing in context.

Component 3 - Consultation Skills (coming: Monday, 24 November 2025)

RPS Learn module

Develop essential knowledge, skills, and confidence in delivering effective consultations to provide safe and effective care to your patients.

This has primarily been designed for pharmacists working in primary care, but may also be useful for pharmacists working in other settings.

Take the RPS Learn Consultation Skills module

Learning objectives

• Demonstrate a structured and person-centred approach to consultations using the following five steps:
  • Initiating the session
  • Gathering the information
  • Physical examination
  • Closing the session
• Use a range of tools to support your consultation with patients and / or carers
• Identify and manage red flag symptoms
• Discuss the principles of remote consultations
• Summarise additional considerations for consultations including health literacy and managing challenging conversations.

• How to learn from others to develop your own prescribing practice
• Build a support network to support your prescribing practice
• Why a community of practice is a valuable resource during your journey as a prescribing pharmacist.

• How will your prescribing practice will change over time?
• Discover ways to expand, develop or change your prescribing practice
• Learn how to return to prescribing after a gap.

• Prescribing challenges include record keeping, liability, governance, as well as dealing with workplace pressures and workload
• Learn from an experienced prescriber how to navigate these challenges
• Ensure your prescribing practice is safe, effective and cognizant of good practice.

• As you establish and develop as a prescribing pharmacist, consider your next career steps
• Recollect the skills, knowledge and experience gained from prescribing
• Consider further development opportunities in prescribing...and beyond!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is this programme suitable for all sectors of practice?

The RPS Prescribing Programme is suited to prescribing pharmacists in all sectors of practice including hospital, community, primary care and other settings. You will hear from a variety of experienced and expert prescribers from different sectors, sharing their experiences, and helping you become an effective prescriber.

Do I have to do the whole programme?

No, the RPS Prescribing Programme is designed to be flexible, to meet your personal learning needs. You pick the elements that suit you and which meet the learning needs identified in your personal development plan.

You will find it extremely useful to attend the first webinar where you will gain familiarity with the RPS Prescribing Competency Framework and leave being able to complete a self-assessment and personal development plan. This will help you to pick and choose elements across the rest of the programme that suit your learning needs.

Are the webinars recorded?

Yes, webinars will be recorded for you to access and listen to at your convenience. This will help you in being able to pick the parts of the programme that work for you and meet your learning needs.

Can I use the programme toward credentialing and my portfolio?

Yes, absolutely. This programme can support your RPS e-Portfolio and can contribute directly to your credentialing journey.

Throughout the programme, we’ll guide you to map your learning to the RPS Post-registration Foundation Pharmacist Curriculum and the RPS Core Advanced Pharmacist Curriculum. Each learning activity clearly highlights which competencies it supports, making it easy to build evidence for your portfolio and work toward credentialed recognition.

By engaging with the programme, you're not just building knowledge — you're also actively progressing through the stages of professional development toward advanced levels of pharmacy practice.