Diploma of Higher Education in Advanced Pharmacy Technician Practice
Key Details
- Attendance
- Part-time (Remote)
- Course Length
- 4 Years
- Start Date
- 13 January 2025
- Application Deadline
- 6 January 2025
- Credit Value
- 60 credits per year- 240 total (Awarding Diploma of Higher Education)
- Cost
- £1,950 per year
- Further Information
- pt.dip@uea.ac.uk
Introduction
The UEA Diploma of Higher Education in Advanced Pharmacy Technician Practice (DipHE) is a 4-year part-time programme designed for pharmacy technicians from all sectors and settings who are registered in the UK with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
With the continued evolution of healthcare and the advent of pharmacist prescribers, there are more opportunities for pharmacy technicians to support in more advanced roles. The programme which was developed with stakeholders from across pharmacy is aimed at pharmacy technicians working in a clinical environment who wish to develop their knowledge and practice and prepare for these enhanced and advanced roles.
The programme is made up of nine modules delivered over four years part time and designed to enable you to explore the subject areas within your own environment, therefore, individual to your own sector and setting. In year one, you will study the principles and knowledge that underpin the work of registered pharmacy technicians and at the same time develop further your experience and competence in both professional and safe clinical practice. Year two will builds on existing knowledge of clinical therapeutics. In year three, along with more clinical therapeutics you will be introduced to research and learn the fundamental skills to start you on the research journey. Finally, in year four, there will be further clinical therapeutics and a research project of your own choice to undertake.
Study and Modules
Year 1
Structure
Each year of the course consists of multiple modules running together through the year, with study days and support sessions planned throughout the year. Learning will relate to workplace practices and encourage the practical application of the knowledge and skills taught.
The first year of the course will cover professional pharmacy technician practice, communication skills and medicines optimisation. These modules will support learners in developing their practice, building upon current abilities and providing an understanding of the importance of these advanced skills in patient centred care. Medicines reconciliation will be covered within the medicines optimisation module, providing learners with the skills to undertake medicines reconciliation in practice.
Modules
Medicines Optimisation
Credit: 20 Level: 4
This module will build upon learners existing knowledge and skills as registered pharmacy technicians in relation to medicines optimisation in pharmacy technician practice.
Skills involved in medicines optimisation will be taught, with learners gaining knowledge to demonstrate effective medicines reconciliation and medicines reviews-including consideration around deprescribing and adherence support. The module will look into the theory behind the medicines optimisation process to understand the importance of why it is such a huge part of practice.
Learners will gain the necessary abilities to demonstrate effective practice in relation to medicines optimisation, and integration and transfer of care.
Communication skills
Credit: 10 Level: 4
Communication skills are a central part of pharmacy technician practice and often overlooked as a skill to be learnt and built upon. This module will teach a variety of advanced communication skills that can be used to support patients in shared-decision making and support transfer of care through appropriate professional communication.
Digital communication will also be explored - as the use of digital communication methods evolves and becomes everyday practice, it is important for professionals to understand not only how to use digital tools but also when it is appropriate.
Communication with other healthcare professionals will also be reviewed, with consideration being made on the most appropriate and effective methods of communication within the multi-disciplinary team and external organisations as well as accountability within these communications.
Professional Practice for Pharmacy technicians
Credit: 30 Level: 4
As registered pharmacy technicians, this module will build upon learners professional experience and enhance their professional practice.
The module will provide learners with a greater knowledge of professional standards and policies, linking these to the profession and the NHS in general.
Health economics will be introduced, with learners gaining knowledge how formularies are created in relation to cost effectiveness and discuss the importance of formularies within the NHS.
Leadership and management within the NHS- including the structure and funding of various areas within the NHS- will be reviewed, allowing learners to practice within these roles effectively.
Further focus on leadership based around training within the healthcare setting will also be taught. Learners will be taught skills required for mentoring, coaching and facilitating learning in the workplace, reflecting upon their own approach to these in practice.
A major part of the module will focus on audits - what audits are, their importance and how to perform an effective audit. This teaching will enable learners to undertake a clinical audit within the workplace as part of the module assessment.
Year 2
Structure
Year 2 will introduce Clinical therapeutics, focussing on more common conditions found within all sectors of pharmacy technician practice- cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease (including respiratory infections), endocrine disorders and mental health.
The level of teaching will require students to be able to build upon their current application in practice, providing a higher level of understanding of conditions and treatments. This will in turn support learners in analysing information provided and recommending appropriate actions in a patient centred approach.
Modules
Clinical Therapeutics 1
Credit: 30 Level: 4
This module will cover both cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, reviewing the more common diseases and focussing on the therapies involved for each condition. The module will review the anatomy and role of the physiological systems before looking into conditions affecting these.
When looking at the conditions the module will consider the various treatment options available, allowing learners to understand more about how different medications and formulations should be used and patients cared for correctly. This will in turn allow learners to be able to understand adherence issues. Teaching will allow learners to support patients with adherence and support in ongoing treatment considerations. The module will look into considerations for paediatric patients and specialist areas. Teaching will also cover the monitoring considerations of drugs and how to interpret these results- an area where pharmacy technicians are expanding into, supporting or even running the clinics.
Learners will be shown how to interpret blood tests in order to advise on the next steps in treatment. The process of spirometry will be detailed and learners will be able to interpret the results to aid in patient diagnosis.
Infections within the respiratory system will be reviewed, with the impact of resistance and importance of antimicrobial stewardship discussed. Learners will gain an understanding of the role they can play in supporting this important area of healthcare.
Clinical Therapeutics 2
Credit: 30 Level: 4
This module will focus on three different sections of clinical therapeutics- central nervous system conditions, endocrine conditions, and anxiety & depression.
The module will build upon learners current understanding of the body systems involved in the above conditions, before reviewing the diagnosis and management of these conditions in various patient groups (including paediatrics). Emphasis will be based upon the role the pharmacy technician has in supporting patients with treatment. This includes health promotion, counselling and ongoing monitoring requirements.
There will be a focus on factors that may affect patient adherence and consideration on how patients can be supported in order to improve adherence.
The learning will also look at the various support that there is available for patients, considering patient support groups as well as workplace and living support depending upon the condition.
Year 3
Structure
Year 3 will begin teaching at a higher level (level 5) – enabling learners to build upon existing knowledge and being able to make judgements around patient care using information they have analysed and evaluated. The learning will take a patient centred approach, encouraging learners to take an individualised approach to care. This will support learners to provide more clinical support within the workplace and allow patients to receive the best quality care from all professions.
Research skills will be introduced- providing learners with skills to be able to undertake effective literature searches and reviews. The aim of this module is to prepare students for the fourth year research project- providing an understanding of the types or research and skills required, while supporting the creation of a project proposal.
Modules
Clinical Therapeutics 3
Credit: 40 Level: 5
This module will focus on further different sections of clinical therapeutics- gastrointestinal conditions, infections, genitourinary health (including contraception and HRT), musculoskeletal conditions and pain management.
The module will build upon learners current understanding of the body systems involved in the above conditions, and review the diagnosis and management of conditions relating to these. The module will encourage learners to compare of treatments and consider the appropriateness of treatment regimes for individual patients. Learners will be encouraged to reflect upon factors that may affect patient adherence and consideration on how patients can be supported in order to improve outcomes.
The ongoing monitoring of patient blood levels will be covered, providing learners with the ability to interpret various blood tests- including drug levels- and recommend appropriate alterations to treatment as necessary.
The learning will also look at the various support that there is available for patients, considering patient support groups as well as workplace and living support depending upon the condition.
Introduction to Research Skills
Credit: 20 Level: 5
This module is a designed to introduce research skills for pharmacy technicians. This will likely be a new concept to many of the learners and the module will provide an understanding of the importance of good quality research in healthcare and education.
Learners will be introduced to the key concepts, language, stages and perspectives of research. Learners will be taught how to effectively undertake a literature search and review the material gathered.
Learners will have an introduction to research methodology, learning how and why a specific methodology is chosen and being trained in the ways to present and analyse data within research.
Learners will also learn the ethical, legal and governance issues that apply to research. Ethical applications will be discussed and support provided around how to apply for these.
Assessment for this module will include the submission of a project proposal which will be a major part of the final year of the course. This could be an extensive audit or service evaluation within the workplace. It may also be a research type project reviewing local practices. Alternative projects could be proposed subject to approval from the teaching team.
Year 4
Structure
The final year of the course will consist of one smaller therapeutics module taking place alongside a year long project- the proposal for which the learner will have submitted as part of the year 3 assessment.
The clinical therapeutics module will continue at level 5; enabling learners to build upon existing knowledge and being able to make judgements around patient care using information they have analysed and evaluated. The learning will take a patient centred approach, encouraging learners to take an individualised approach to care. This will support learners to provide more clinical support within the workplace and allow patients to receive the best quality care from all professions.
The Research project will encourage learners to independently undertake research and put their learning of research skills from year 3 into practice. This will provide pharmacy technicians with the opportunity to present research and have a platform to build upon for future research.
Modules
Clinical Therapeutics 4
Credit: 20 Level: 5
This module will provide learners with the knowledge and skills to support patients with a variety of mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions.
The pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia will be discussed. The module will teach and encourage learners to focus on the holistic approach to patients with mental health conditions, considering the role of other professionals and support systems in place. The link between mental health conditions and substance misuse and harmful behaviours will be explored with learners gaining the knowledge to discuss how the healthcare team can support patients affected.
Though not necessarily mental health conditions, learning difficulties and neurodevelopmental disorders can often be factors in much of the above. This module will encourage learners to consider the impact that these may have upon patient adherence and understanding of instructions and discuss how individual patients can be supported in their medicines management. Where necessary (e.g., for ADHD) treatment will also be reviewed.
Research project
Credit: 40 Level: 5
The aim of this module is for learners to use the teaching on patient safety and put it into practice by reviewing workplace processes and suggesting/implementing quality improvements that they feel are appropriate.
Projects are submitted in the ‘introduction to research skills’ module- this may be based on an extensive audit, service evaluation, research, or further options as agreed by the teaching team.
Teaching in the module will support the learners in completing the project write up and presentation effectively. Learning will refresh student knowledge of clinical governance and information governance- ensuring that learners are able to implement this effectively in the project .
Other learning will be based around presentation skills and report writing, as well as building upon learning around data analysis taught in the ‘introduction to research skills’ module.
As the project may involve the implementation of new working procedures, learners will be taught how to manage a project as well as manage change in practice. Learning will be assessed through the submission of a project report and presentation online.
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
The programme recognises that learners will be employed and therefore offers a flexible, blended approach to learning and delivery through distance learning (online) and virtual study days (minimum of two study days per module), online presentations, independent research.
There will be the expectation of at least 7-8 hours study time per week outside of working hours, while some learning and assessment will also be undertaken within the workplace.
Assessment
Each assessment will require a minimum pass to progress. Support will be available through advisors and ‘formative’ assessment of each type of coursework to provide feedback before final submission for ‘summative’ assessment.
We will use different assessment methods and each method is chosen so that it is relevant to what needs to be evidenced. Assessment methods for each module will be based upon professional practice and understanding. Methods of assessment will include practice based coursework- diary logs, clinical case reports based on personal practice, audit and external review. Other assessments will be based on student knowledge and ability to analyse and evaluate information such as in clinical case studies based on fictitious practice, essays and online assessments (open book case based).
Within the research skills portion of the course assessment will involve the appraisal of a provided research article, research proposal and research project report/presentation.
Entry Requirements
The normal minimum requirements are:
· Pharmacy technicians who are currently registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council and who work in a sector/setting where all requirements of the programme can be met.
· A recommendation from the Senior/Line Manager or designated deputy to undertake the programme
· The Senior/Line Manager is responsible for:
• Ensuring that this extension to the learner’s role is covered by the vicarious liability of the employing organisation.
• Ensuring that local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to all aspects of the role are in place and up to date. They must ensure that the learner is familiar with these procedures and standards, and that they work competently within them.
• The candidate is given appropriate time and support to complete the Programme within the given timeframe.
· Assigned an Educational Supervisor
· The assigned Supervisor must fulfil the following criteria:
• An experienced Pharmacist or a Pharmacy Technician who is accredited in the modules they will be supervising or has equivalent experience at the workplace to be acknowledged as occupationally competent.
• Ensure that the requirements of the UEA/Employer agreement are met
• Have experience of mentoring, training and facilitating staff.
• Be able to meet regularly with the candidate to discuss progress and give feedback.
· The assigned Educational Supervisor should:
• Support the learner in facilitating opportunities as needed to meet the needs of the programme
• Offer support, guidance and feedback to the Pharmacy Technician as needed
• Meet with the learner at regular intervals regular and document the progress and level of performance different stages of the programme.
• Have an understanding of the programme documentation
· Completed an induction into the area where they will be working and familiar with the SOPs related to the area in which they will be working.
Employability
Applicants should be actively employed before commencing the course due to the nature of the learning. On completion, the programme opens up career prospects and new emerging opportunities in advanced pharmacy practice roles developing knowledge and skills to a higher level. Opportunities to take part in research/evaluations will increase/open up by completing the DipHE Introduction to research module and research project which could contribute to expanding the evidence base for pharmacy technician roles in person centred care and supporting pharmacy services generally. Completion of the course will support opportunities to undertake further learning within Higher Education. The transferable skills gained may also lead to opportunities to work in other advanced roles within the wider healthcare system.