Designated Prescribing Practitioner Competency Framework

Regulatory changes in 2019 mean that experienced non-medical prescribers of any professional background can become responsible for a trainee prescriber's period of learning in practice similarly to Designated Medical Practitioners (DMP).

To help train safe and effective independent prescribers we've worked with multi-disciplinary experts to develop and publish a competency framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPP).

This new framework will help universities running independent prescribing programmes, NHS trusts and boards with independent prescribers, trainee independent prescribers and experienced independent prescribers to understand the expectations for a DPP through standardised competency descriptors.

A review of the DPP Competency Framework is scheduled to start in 2025 and is currently in progress.

First Published: 03 December 2019

Find out more about being a Designated Prescribing Professional in our dedicated DPP section - for aspiring DPPs, new and experienced DPPs. Full of useful links and resources to support you as a DPP to supervise trainee pharmacist prescribers in practice.

July 2025

The DPP competency framework consultation concluded and the responses are currently being reviewed.

June 2025

We are asking for your views on the update for the DPP competency framework. Please complete our confidential survey. Your input will ensure the framework is current, clear, relevant and fit for purpose for prescribers and DPPs from all professional backgrounds.

January 2025

The Designated Prescribing Practitioner Competency Framework was due for review in December 2023.

This has been delayed and currently being planned.

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Download the framework

Competency framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioners

Supporting resources

A Competency Framework for all Prescribers

Statement of funding

This framework has been co-funded by the RPS and a grant from Health Education England.

Consensus statement

The project steering group used a consensus process to agree the final prescribing framework. Consensus was achieved.

Endorsements

The competency framework has been endorsed by professional bodies representing other prescribers (some endorsement applications are still in progress).