Awards

Target Award

Award Description:Master of Pharmacy - MPHF
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit

Alternate Award Names

Pharmaceutical Studies

Accreditation

General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Programme Offerings

Full-Time

F2F-JMU-SEP

Educational Aims of the Course

  • To inculcate an appreciation of pharmacy as a patient centred discipline and an understanding of the role of the pharmacist in a variety of professional settings.
  • To prepare students with the requisite knowledge, understanding and skills to be effective decision makers within their own personal and professional limits.
  • To provide knowledge of the chemical, physical and biological sciences appropriate to professional practice in pharmacy or generally in the pharmaceutical industries, research or education.
  • To provide knowledge of legal and administrative arrangements, codes of practice and ethics and develop practical skills relevant to the profession of pharmacy, including for independent prescribing.
  • To facilitate the development of an ability to apply knowledge of basic scientific principles and/or legal and administrative arrangements to the solution of practical problems in a clinical setting and in industry and the pharmaceutical sciences.
  • To provide knowledge of the planning and execution of research and the analysis of results obtained and to encourage a critical approach to published research leading to evidence-based decision-making skills.
  • To facilitate the development of problem-seeking and problem-solving skills.
  • To facilitate the development of an ability to work both independently and as a team member.
  • To facilitate the development of all forms of communication skills.
  • To prepare students for life-long learning and continuing professional development.
  • To develop the necessary behaviours, attitudes and professionalism for undertaking the role of a pharmacist.
  • To prepare students for entry into the next level of Education and Training required for registration with the GPhC.

Learning Outcomes

1.
Demonstrate empathy and keep the person at the centre of their approach to care at all times
2.
Work in partnership with people to support and empower them in shared decision-making about their health and wellbeing
3.
Demonstrate effective communication at all times and adapt their approach and communication style to meet the needs of the person
4.
Understand the variety of settings and adapt their communication accordingly
5.
Proactively support people to make safe and effective use of their medicines and devices
6.
Treat people as equals, with dignity and respect, and meet their own legal responsibilities under equality and human rights legislation, while respecting diversity and cultural differences
7.
Obtain informed consent before providing care and pharmacy services
8.
Assess and respond to the person’s particular health risks, taking account of individuals’ protected characteristics and background
9.
Take responsibility for ensuring that personal values and beliefs do not compromise person-centred care
10.
Demonstrate effective consultation skills, and in partnership with the person, decide the most appropriate course of action
11.
Take into consideration factors that affect people’s behaviours in relation to health and wellbeing
12.
Take an all-inclusive approach to ensure the most appropriate course of action based on clinical, legal and professional considerations
13.
Recognise the psychological, physiological and physical impact of prescribing decisions on people
14.
Work collaboratively and effectively with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure high-quality, person-centred care, including continuity of care
15.
Demonstrate the values, attitudes and behaviours expected of a pharmacy professional at all times
16.
Apply professional judgement in all circumstances, taking legal and ethical reasoning into account
17.
Recognise and work within the limits of their knowledge and skills, and get support and refer to others when they need to
18.
Take responsibility for all aspects of pharmacy services, and make sure that the care and services provided are safe and accurate
19.
Take responsibility for all aspects of health and safety and take actions when necessary
20.
Act openly and honestly when things go wrong and raise concerns even when it is not easy to do so
21.
Apply the science behind pharmacy in all activities
22.
Demonstrate how the science behind pharmacy is applied in the discovery, design, development and safety testing of medicines and devices
23.
Recognise the technologies that are behind developing advanced therapeutic medicinal products and precision medicines, including the formulation, supply and quality assurance of these therapeutic agents
24.
Keep abreast of new technologies and use data and digital technologies to improve clinical outcomes and patient safety, keeping to information governance principles
25.
Apply pharmaceutical principles to the safe and effective formulation, preparation, packaging and disposal of medicines and products
26.
Consider the quality, safety and risks associated with medicines and products and take appropriate action when producing, supplying and prescribing them
27.
Take responsibility for the legal, safe and efficient supply, prescribing and administration of medicines and devices
28.
Demonstrate effective diagnostic skills, including physical examination, to decide the most appropriate course of action for the person
29.
Apply the principles of clinical therapeutics, pharmacology and genomics to make effective use of medicines for people, including in their prescribing practice
30.
Appraise the evidence base and apply clinical reasoning and professional judgement to make safe and logical decisions which minimise risk and optimise outcomes for the person
31.
Critically evaluate and use national guidelines and clinical evidence to support safe, rational and cost-effective procurement for the use, and prescribing of, medicines, devices and services
32.
Accurately perform calculations
33.
Effectively promote healthy lifestyles using evidence-based techniques
34.
Apply the principles of effective monitoring and management to improve health outcomes
35.
Anticipate and recognise adverse drug reactions, and recognise the need to apply the principles of pharmacovigilance
36.
Apply relevant legislation and ethical decision-making related to prescribing, including remote prescribing
37.
Prescribe effectively within the relevant systems and frameworks for medicines use
38.
Understand clinical governance in relation to prescribing, while also considering that the prescriber may be in a position to supply the prescribed medicines to people
39.
Take responsibility for people’s health records, including the legality, appropriateness, accuracy, security and confidentiality of personal data
40.
Understand and implement relevant safeguarding procedures, including local and national guidance in relation to each person
41.
Effectively make use of local and national health and social care policies to improve health outcomes and public health, and to address health inequalities
42.
Proactively participate in the promotion and protection of public health in their practice
43.
Identify misuse of medicines and implement effective strategies to deal with this
44.
Respond appropriately to medical emergencies, including the provision of first aid
45.
Demonstrate effective leadership and management skills as part of the multi-disciplinary team
46.
Make use of the skills and knowledge of other members of the multi-disciplinary team to manage resources and priorities
47.
Develop, lead and apply effective strategies to improve the quality of care and safe use of medicines
48.
Actively take part in the management of risks and consider the impacts on people
49.
Use tools and techniques to avoid medication errors associated with prescribing, supply and administration
50.
Take appropriate actions to respond to complaints, incidents or errors in a timely manner and to prevent them happening again
51.
Recognise when and how their performance or that of others could put people at risk and take appropriate actions
52.
Demonstrate resilience and flexibility, and apply effective strategies to manage multiple priorities, uncertainty, complexity and change
53.
Reflect upon, identify, and proactively address their learning needs
54.
Support the learning and development of others, including through mentoring
55.
Take part in research activities, audit, service evaluation and quality improvement, and demonstrate how these are used to improve care and services

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Learning is facilitated through a variety of methods. These include practicals (clinical and laboratory), clinical and professional practice workshops in the pharmacy clinical suites, tutorials, seminars, lectures and asynchronous online directed-study, with strong expectations that students will undertake further directed and self-directed independent study to enhance their learning. Experiential learning will be provided in the form of simulated and work-based professional placements across the pharmacy sectors, and these placements form a core aspect of the pharmacy curriculum.

A variety of assessment methods are used at every level of study, in the modalities of coursework, examinations and skills competency assessments. Formative assessment and feedback is incorporated into learning activities for all types of assessment. Coursework will consist of reports, posters presentations, oral presentations and viva voce examinations, case-study reviews, laboratory exercises and other assignments that mirror pharmacist activities in practice. Examinations will consist of one assessment comprising multiple choice questions to mirror the GPhC registration assessment, and a second assessment of decision making and rationalisation. Competency assessments will check student are developing relevant pharmacist skills at an acceptable level using various assessment styles to simulate practice including Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), examination of pharmacy law and ethics, and assessment of numeracy skills, and through completion of a professional portfolio. The portfolio requires students to demonstrate the acquisition of a wide range of key skills including professional development planning. In any assessment, where it is deemed that a student’s actions or decisions could put a patient/the public at risk of harm the assessment will receive a fail outcome.

Performance in some formative and summative activities may be subject to peer group assessment.

Key professional skills that will be developed include decision making, prescribing skills, clinical assessment skills, communication skills, dispensing skills, and many others. In addition, a wide range of transferable skills will also be developed throughout the curriculum, including library skills, research skills, presentation skills, team working, computer and IT literacy, data science skills, leadership skills and project management skills. A large element of independent private study is embedded within each level of study and students are supported in developing the skills to become independent learners by the end of Level 7.

Opportunities for work related learning

Large proportions of the curriculum at every level of the programme are directly relevant to the work of a pharmacist and are delivered in a manner that closely simulates real working conditions and real-life problems/tasks. Placements will be provided in levels 4 to 7 of the programme. Placements commissioned by Health Education England (HEE) are mandatory requirements of the programme curriculum and form a key part of our simulated and workplace placement provision.

Simulation of Practice Placements:
Pharmacy students will have regular opportunities to apply learning to practice scenarios in our on campus patient simulation suite and also remotely through virtual patient software. These opportunities allow students to develop confidence in a safe environment in workforce-relevant pharmacist skills including communication skills, clinical assessment skills, prescribing skills and decision making.

Work-Force Placements:
Pharmacy students will attend placements under the supervision of pharmacists (primarily) and other healthcare professionals in the workplace, where they will further develop their practice-based skills and confidence providing care for real patients. The majority of placements will be in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy and in primary care settings, with additional opportunities in other specialist sectors where pharmacists work to provide broader context to professional development. Placements may be observational (to introduce students to the work environment) or integrated into the curriculum and the workforce (i.e. participating in patient care).

Students are also strongly encouraged to find additional self-sourced work experience in pharmacy settings outside of the curriculum, e.g. during the summer break.

 

Programme Structure

Programme Structure Description

The MPharm with foundation year programme is offered as an integrated Masters degree involving a 5 year programme of full time study comprised of 1 year of foundation level (preparatory year) study followed by 4 years of MPharm. It is organised as 5 increasingly challenging levels of study and skills … For more content click the Read More button below. The foundation (preparatory) level of study is divided into six 20 credit modules covering the basic scientific knowledge and skills students will need as a strong foundation for the four subsequent levels of MPharm studies. To progress to level 4 of this programme, students are required to be successful in all modules. All modules at this level of study (except Fundamental Science Skills, which has a 40% grading requirement), require students to achieve a mark of at least 55% in each assessment component. The Fundamental Science Skills module also has a calculations competency assessment which must be passed at 70% or greater to be successful.  For levels 4 to 7 of this programme, each level of study is divided into 10 modules. Some of these modules are credit-bearing, while others (the skills competency modules) are zero-credit Pass/Fail modules. Where available, credit is awarded following successful demonstration of achievement of the learning outcomes for each module. For zero-credit modules, a Pass is awarded following successful demonstration of achievement of the learning outcomes. For a student to progress, all modules must be passed at each level of study. Each student is permitted a maximum of three attempts at each module. The first attempt in credit-bearing modules will attract a grade from the full range of possible marks. Second and third attempts will be capped at the module pass mark. Exhaustion of these three opportunities without success will lead to failure of the module(s) and subsequent withdrawal from the programme. An alternative exit award will be conferred in accordance with the number of credits achieved. Students who successfully achieve 120 credits at Level 4 but who do not continue on the MPharm programme will be awarded the alternative exit award of Certificate of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studies. Students who successfully complete 240 credits at Levels 4 and 5 but who do not continue on the MPharm programme will be awarded the alternative exit award of Diploma of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studies. Students who successfully complete 300 credits at Levels 4, 5 and 6 but who do not continue on the MPharm programme will be awarded the alternative exit award of BSc in Pharmaceutical Studies. Students who successfully complete 360 credits at Levels 4, 5 and 6 but who do not continue on the MPharm programme will be awarded the alternative exit award of BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Studies. At each of the levels of study from 4 to 7 there are 10 modules. The same framework is used at each level, with the content and assessment becoming more challenging as a student progresses through the levels of study. At each of these levels, these modules comprise: 1. One content module (0 cr), containing all the integrated learning content at that level of study, and the mandatory governance requirements. To pass this module, a student must have completed all governance requirements at that level of study.2. One coursework assessment module (20 cr) focusing on Research Skills3. One coursework assessment module (20 cr) focusing on Person-Centred Care4. One coursework assessment module (20 cr) focusing on Formularies5. One End-of-Year Examination module (30 cr) assessing the breadth of understanding of the programme curriculum to the end of the current level of study. 6. One End-of-Year Examination module (30 cr) assessing a student’s ability to make rational clinical and professional decisions, and to justify these decisions.7. One skills competency assessment module (0 cr), assessing Pharmacist skills8. One skills competency assessment module (0 cr), assessing Law and Ethics9. One skills competency assessment module (0 cr), assessing the Professional Portfolio10. One skills competency assessment module (0 cr), assessing Numeracy (Pharmaceutical Calculations) The content modules for levels 4 to 7 are:Level 4: Integrated Foundations of PharmacyLevel 5: Medicines, Patients, and the PharmacistLevel 6: Complexities of HealthcareLevel 7: Advancing Person-Centred Care Option: additional study year abroad following Level 5 The programme will offer the opportunity of an additional study year abroad following Level 5. Students will be enrolled on a 720 credit integrated Masters with study abroad programme. Of those 720 credits, 120 will be taken via a Level 5 study abroad module [5002IMPHAR Study Year abroad]. The modules to be studied in the host institution must be agreed in advance. The study abroad module does not contribute directly to the MPharm learning or achievement of any of the programme learning outcomes as only studies completed at an accredited UK School of Pharmacy can contribute to an MPharm degree award. Students entering level 5 or level 6 in 2023 will transfer to the programme structure described in this version of the programme for subsequent levels.

Structure

Approved variance from Academic Framework Regulations

This programme has the following variances to the Academic Framework Regulations, approved by Education Committee in July 2022: A pass mark must be achieved in each validated component of a module. All components must be passed, and all competencies must be satisfied to pass a module. This is a requirement … For more content click the Read More button below. No trailing of modules or module components is permitted. This is a requirement of the GPhC (GPhC standards – 5.8). All components must be successfully passed. This is a requirement of the GPhC (GPhC standards – 5.8). Referrals for competency modules may be offered “in year” following a formal Board of Examiners to facilitate progression and ensure full student support is available for skills development. A mark of 50% or above is required to pass each of the two end of year examinations at each level of the programme (GPhC standards – 5.8). The four-year programme is composed of ten year-long modules at each level of study. There is a mix of zero, twenty and thirty credit modules. At each level of study, students will have three attempts at each assessment (first attempts and two capped referral attempts). The future focus self-awareness statement coursework does not apply to the MPharm programme. Instead, support for careers, employability and professionalism is embedded in all levels of study and is specifically assessed in the Portfolio competency assessment.

Entry Requirements

A levels
Alternative qualifications considered
BTECs
International Baccalaureate
Other international requirements

HECoS Code(s)

(CAH02-02) pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy