Clinical Pharmacy Practice (Primary Care and Community)

This flexible, part-time master's level course for practising pharmacists is evidence based with a problem-solving, practice-orientated approach.

Flexible work-based learning

You will develop improved clinical skills, broaden your knowledge and apply these effectively in your professional setting to deliver safer, patient-focused care.

Choosing a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma, MSc or CPD option will help develop your professional status and career prospects.

Upcoming intake points are September 2020, June 2021 and December 2021.

Dates September 2020 start

Application deadline: August 2020
Induction Workshop: September 2020

(exact dates to be confirmed)

Course features

Choice of awards reflecting your area of professional interest
Study at your own pace with minimal time away from work
Excellent support and learner networks with a user-friendly virtual learning environment
Increased professional expertise and status with enhanced career prospects
Support in meeting CPD requirements of the GPhC and professional development in line with RPS development frameworks

Course details

Our flexible course allows you to study at your own pace with minimal time away from work.

Available qualifications & duration

CPD course (four months)
PG Certificate (one year part-time)
PG Diploma (two years part-time)
MSc (three years part-time)

All PG Certificate, PG Diploma and MSc students are registered for the maximum study duration of eight years, to allow flexible study options.

Scheme of study

The course is divided into units of study, each lasting 12 weeks. Study in each unit is supported by online learning materials, and most units also have a compulsory face to face workshop.

Year One (Certificate)

2 compulsory units (Foundation Skills and Foundation Knowledge)
2 further optional units
Successful completion of the OSCE (observed structured clinical examination) assessment

Year Two (Diploma)

4 optional units

Year Three (MSc)

Additional units as agreed with the programme lead

Units

Compulsory units

Foundation Knowledge, 15 CATS credits (24 weeks)

Topics: management of interactions and co-pathologies, clinical lab investigations, antimicrobials and infections, use of medicines in paediatric patients, evidence-based practice, patient safety and reporting

Foundation Skills 15 CATS credits (completed over the first year)

Topics: patient-centred care skills: effective communication and consultation, decision making, clinical skills for diagnosis and management, structured medication review, systematic medicines reconciliation and optimisation, clinical IT systems, leadership, motivational interviewing, inter-professional and intra-professional working.

Optional units

These may be combined with the core units for the Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma, or taken separately as stand-alone CPD units.

Providing Better Care for the Older Person, 15 CATS credits (12 weeks)
Minor Ailments, 15 credits (12 weeks)
Managing Polypharmacy and Multimorbidity, 15 CATS credits (12 weeks)
Managing Long Term Conditions 1, 15 CATS credits (12 weeks)
Managing Long Term Conditions 2, 15 CATS credits (12 weeks)
Managing Long Term Conditions 3, 15 CATS credits (12 weeks)
Public Health, 15 CATS credits (12 weeks)
Quality Improvement Project, 15 CATS credits (12 weeks)

Apply now

Make sure to complete all additional forms and upload these to your application tracker as required.

The next intake will be in September 2020. We will publish the guidance notes, forms and application links as soon as they are available.

Please email ap3t@bath.ac.uk to register your interest.

Two references will be needed when applying for the MSc, Diploma or Certificate.

Transfer of credit from other institutions is possible. Please call the Programme Office to discuss this option.

Application process

We will review all applications and contact applicants with information about interviews, which may be face to face or via telephone.

After interviews, you will be notified of the decision of the University as soon as possible before the start of the course.

Please note that all elements of the application must be submitted on time for you to be considered for a place on the course. If the demand for places is greater than the number of places available then the admissions panel will review applications following agreed selection criteria.

Values Based Recruitment

If you are working in or plan to work in the NHS, we follow the NHS Values Based Recruitment Guidance. We strongly believe in the NHS values and will be looking for them in our applicants.

All applicants will be assessed on individual merit, as well as their understanding and practice of NHS values in pharmacy. This assessment may take a variety of forms, including an interview. We strongly encourage all applicants to read the NHS Constitution before attending the interview.

Case study videos

Hear from some of our recent students.

Entry requirements

Find out what criteria you need to meet before applying.

You must:

be a graduate of a recognised university and be registered as a practising pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (or for other health professionals, be a member of an appropriate professional body)
ensure that you have a UK practice base to work within and access to patient notes (Community-based applicants will normally need to come to an arrangement with a local GP practice. The University can provide a letter to assist in gaining access to a GP Surgery for educational purposes.)

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS score of at least 7.5 overall with no less than 7 in all components.

Fees and funding

Go to our fees pages for more information on fees and how to pay them.

Please note that tuition fees do not cover travel, subsistence, delegate fees and accommodation at workshops. An additional charge will be made for costs incurred.