2024/25 entry Applications also open for 2025/26
MSc Clinical Pharmacy for Primary Care and Community Pharmacy PG Cert, PG Dip
About this course
LJMU's Clinical Pharmacy MSc enables primary care and community pharmacists to maximise their role within interprofessional settings.
- Aimed at pharmacists working in community pharmacies, general medical practices or hospital outpatient pharmacies operated by community providers
- Apply your skills to your day-to-day work and enhance your practice from day one
- Benefit from clinical teaching designed and delivered by specialist practising pharmacists
- Study an optional Independent Prescribing pathway (accredited by the GPhC)
- Begin your studies in Spring or Autumn and enrol with the PgCert/PgDip/MSc as your target award
- Study over three years (part-time). If you wish to stage your development, it is also offered as a one year Postgraduate Certificate or two year Postgraduate Diploma, both of which can be subsequently topped up by returning to the course
This course reflects the evolving role of Pharmacists in primary care and at the interface with secondary care. It is closely aligned with the Government's published plans for the role of the Pharmacist in NHS England.
The programme aims to support you in developing your practice. It will serve as the base for successful and effective careers in Clinical Pharmacy, with those having completed the programme being equipped to effectively optimise patient care, make evidence-based recommendations around therapies and develop practice to directly benefit the patients and organisations they serve.
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Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted at the top of this page cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- access to programme-appropriate software
- library and student IT support
- free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages.
Please be aware that the UK’s departure from the EU may affect your tuition fees. Learn more about your fee status and which tuition fees are relevant to you.
Fees
Fees per year (60 credits): £3,100
Employability
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
Completing the Clinical Pharmacy for Primary and Interface Care MSc, PG Diploma, PG Cert course will support you in developing your practices and new roles in community pharmacy and general medical practices, with prescribing and clinical pharmacy skills allowing you to begin delivering services immediately. This will help to improve job satisfaction and support new and innovative practices locally.
The student experience
Discover life as a postgraduate student at LJMU.
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Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
This course is currently undergoing its scheduled programme review, which may impact the advertised modules. Programme review is a standard part of the University 's approach to quality assurance and enhancement, enabling us to ensure that our courses remain up to date and maintain their high standard and relevancy. Once the review is completed, the course website page will be updated to reflect any approved changes to the advertised course. These approved changes will also be communicated to those who apply for the course to ensure they wish to proceed with their application.
Core modules
Medicines Optimisation for Long-Term Conditions
20 credits
This module is studied in the PgCert, PgDip and MSc. The module considers the medicines optimisation of long-term conditions commonly encountered in primary care and community pharmacy in individual patients and groups of patients.
Practitioner Development for Primary Care and Community Pharmacy
20 credits
This module is for the PGCert, PGDip and MSc. The module aims to develop the skills and competence of pharmacists to support and empower patients, including consultation skills, shared decision making decision and adopting a holistic approach to patient care.
Quality Improvement in Healthcare
20 credits
This module is for the PGDip and MSc. The aim of this module is to enable students to develop skills in research methods and expertise in the evaluation, delivery and development of an area of healthcare. This module also includes appropriate research methods and research skills to support students who wish to complete an MSc dissertation.
Research Project
60 credits
This module is for the MSc. The module will enable you to develop and extend your research abilities and complete a research project.
Optional Modules
Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists
40 credits
The module develops the personal, professional, clinical and diagnostic skills required to deliver person-centred care as a pharmacist independent prescriber. Successful completion of this module enables individuals to apply to the General Pharmaceutical Council for annotation as an Independent Prescriber.
Medicines Optimisation in Acute Conditions
20 credits
This module is for the PGCert, PGDip and MSc. The module considers the medicines optimisation of acute conditions commonly encountered in primary care and community pharmacy in individual patients and groups of patients.
Medicines Optimisation in Community Pharmacy
20 credits
This module is for the PGCert, PGDip and MSc. The module considers medicines optimisation for individual patients presenting within a community pharmacy environment and enables students to acquire an advanced knowledge of best clinical practice/national guidance and its application to clinical practice and pharmaceutical care in patients with specific conditions.
Oncology Pharmacy Practice in Primary Care
20 credits
This module is for the PGDip and MSc. This module facilitates students’ development of clinical knowledge and skills that are relevant to the needs of healthcare professionals supporting patients prescribed oncology medicines in a primary care setting.
Fundamental Paediatric Pharmacy Practice
20 credits
This module is for the PGDip and MSc. The module provides clinical knowledge and skills that are relevant to the needs of healthcare professionals working with medicines in fundamental paediatric practice and to facilitate professional development, including fostering development of an enquiring, open-minded attitude, tempered with scientific discipline for paediatric medicine, which encourages lifelong learning.
Clinical Leadership in Medicines Optimisation
20 credits
This module is for the PGDip and MSc. The module aims to develop students' leadership skills to enable you to implement initiatives to optimise medicines for the wider population both within an organisation and between healthcare sectors.
Education and Training in Healthcare
20 credits
This module is for the PGDip and MSc. The module aims to develop the knowledge and skills required to deliver and critique education and training sessions to healthcare professionals.
Teaching
An insight into teaching on your course
Study hours
You will be assigned a personal tutor at enrolment. Your tutor will keep in regular contact with you and support you through your studies to help you to demonstrate your competence through a professional practice portfolio.
The MSc level Research Project is undertaken in your workplace under the supervision of a University Supervisor, with support from a local mentor, where available.
The programme is delivered with the support of our Virtual Learning Environment (Canvas), which will provide a range of learning activities to develop your knowledge in clinical pharmacy and related topics. This student-led learning is supported by face-to face and virtual study days supplemented by tutorials with your tutor.
Study days
Please note these dates may be subject to change.
Wednesday 22 March 2023
Wednesday 24 May 2023
Tuesday 19 July 2023
Tuesday 19 September 2023
Tuesday 10 January 2024
Teaching methods
The programme uses a blended learning approach including recommended reading, short recorded lectures, online quizzes, seminars, workshops and workplace-based learning. In addition to LJMU staff, expert practitioners will be involved in programme delivery.
The embedded prescribing programme was accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council in March 2020. Successful completion of the programme will result in you being issued with a Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing, which entitles you to apply for annotation as an independent prescriber on the GPhC or PSNI register of Pharmacists.
Please note: successful completion of an accredited course is not a guarantee of annotation or of future employment as a Pharmacist Independent Prescriber. The GPhCs accreditation report(s) and the timescales for future accreditations can be viewed here.
Applied learning
As you will be working as you study, this programme enables you to put your new found skills into practice immediately.
Assessment
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
At the heart of the course is the requirement to maintain a professional practice portfolio, detailing clinical practice and personal development. Each module will involve formative and/or summative assessments, which help to contribute to this portfolio or draw on its content.
Assessment methods for this course include: written exams, oral and written case reports and written reports of activities such as practice evaluation exercises. Some modules also have competency requirements (pass/fail assessments). These components are based around demonstrating competence through Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and the professional practice portfolio.
For the Master of Science Research Project Module you must submit a research project report.
All assessments are moderated by an external examiner. If your overall performance is of a very good standard you will be awarded a Merit and where performance is of an exceptional standard, a Distinction will be awarded.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Suzanne Cutler
Programme Leader
Suzanne is a registered pharmacist and independent prescriber. Before moving into academia, she worked in both community pharmacy and primary care and continues to work as a bank pharmacist in hospitals. Suzanne has a particular research interest in health and social care team-working and inter-professional education. She is also actively involved in research associated with primary care and prescribing.
It's particularly rewarding to see postgraduate students achieve their career aspirations as a result of gaining their qualifications.
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Non Contracted -
Clinical Lead Tutor -
Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer
School facilities
What you can expect from your School
The programme is delivered in the student's workplace.
University staff are based in the Faculty of Science in the City Campus. Here youll find state-of-the art laboratories and teaching spaces. In terms of independent study support, the Avril Robarts Library is located just minutes away from the Faculty of Science on Tithebarn Street.
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Alternative qualifications considered
We require applicants:
- to be a UK Pharmacist registered with the GPhC
- as well as to be currently working in an appropriate UK pharmacy setting, with an opportunity to contribute to the clinical care of patients.
Appropriate settings include: community pharmacies; outpatient pharmacies run by community providers; and general medical practices. If you are unsure whether your setting is appropriate and/or whether the opportunities to contribute to clinical care will be sufficient to allow you to complete the course, you should contact the Programme Leader: Mrs Suzanne Cutler by calling 0151 231 2566 or emailing: s.c.cutler@ljmu.ac.uk
Additional requirements
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Interview required
- You will be interviewed
Further information
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Extra Requirements
- You will need to provide a letter of support from your employer
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RPL
- RPL is accepted on this programme.
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.
The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.