Ulster University MPharm accreditation step 7 18 April 2013 REPORT

1 General Pharmaceutical Council/Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, MPharm Step 7 accreditation record University of Ulster, 18 April 2013

Step 7 Accreditation of an MPharm degree course, University of Ulster

Record of an accreditation event, 18 April 2013 Introduction and background The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the statutory regulator for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and is the accrediting body for pharmacy education in Great Britain. Master of Pharmacy degrees in Northern Ireland are jointly accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The PSNI is the regulatory body for pharmacists in Northern Ireland and has adopted the GPhC’s accreditation criteria. Joint accreditation allows for graduating students to be eligible to use their qualification as the route to registration as a Pharmacist with both the GPhC and/or the PSNI, thus allowing them to work throughout the UK. Accreditation is carried out as a single event, attended by an accreditation team representing each regulatory body. A joint recommendation on accreditation is reached and is put forward for approval to the GPhC’s Council and the PSNI Education Committee. The MPharm at the University of Ulster is delivered by the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science (DPPS), one of the nine schools within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. There are seven steps in the accreditation process for new MPharm degree courses and a Step 2 visit took place in April 2008, following which the then regulators (the RPSGB and the PSNI), obtained reassurances that the financial support arrangements for the proposed MPharm were robust, because the funding of the proposed programme was dependent on financial support from an overseas partner, the Saad Group. A successful Step 3 visit to the Coleraine campus took place on 21 April 2009 and the first cohort of students was admitted in September 2009. At the subsequent Step 4 visit (July 19 ‐ 20 2010), the School was permitted to proceed to Step 5, subject to a condition that comprehensive module guides for the academic year 2010 ‐ 2011 were to be submitted to the RPSGB and the PSNI accreditation division for approval before the start of the next academic year. This condition was met. A recommendation was also made; this stated that there should be a regular review of module content and descriptors, paying particular attention to the currency of the reading lists and associated material, the completeness of content, realistic levels of content and required student effort, along with the M‐level nature of the proposed final year modules. Accordingly, a Step 5 visit took place on 18‐19 April 2011, at which the University was permitted to proceed to step 6 of the MPharm accreditation process; two recommendations were made on that occasion: i) the course team should enhance the links across and between modules; ii) where appropriate, there should be a structured development programme for the supervision of research projects for staff members who are relatively inexperienced researchers. A Step 6 event took place on 17 May 2012. As a result of the visit, the accreditation


team agreed to recommend to the Registrar of the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Registrar of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland that the University of Ulster should be permitted to progress from step 6 to step 7 of the MPharm accreditation process, subject to one recommendation. The team was reassured to learn from the Vice Chancellor of his continued support for the MPharm degree at the University of Ulster and that the University views pharmacy as a key strategic priority. The recommendation was that the Department should review its assessment processes associated with dispensing competencies to ensure that the tests are valid and reliable. This related to criteria 36 and 48. Documentation Following receipt of the provider’s submission documentation, a pre‐visit meeting was held on 25 March 2013, at which the meetings schedule and any additional documentation requirements were agreed. The pre‐visit meeting was attended by the accreditation team leader, the GPhC Accreditation and Recognition Manager and the provider’s representatives. The following documents were submitted by the provider in advance of the step 6 accreditation visit:

1. GPhC document for the step 7 accreditation 2. 41 appendices of supporting documentation (see appendix 1)

The visit The step 7 accreditation visit took place on the 18 April 2013 at the University of Ulster. 17 April 2012 Time 1 Private meeting of accreditation team and GPhC /PSNI representatives 15:00 – 18:00 18 April 2012 Time 2 3

Presentation by Department Strategy meeting ‐ Accreditation team meeting with provider’s senior staff

09:00 – 09:3009:30 ‐ 10:45

4 Accreditation team meeting with University teaching staff 11:00 – 12:30 5 Accreditation team meeting with students 13:00 – 14:00 6 Private meeting of accreditation team and GPhC /PSNI representatives 14:00 – 15:30 7 Feedback to University 15:45


The Accreditation Team: Name Designation at the time of accreditation event Professor Stephen Denyer* (Team Leader) University Dean for Academic Quality and Professor of Pharmacy, Cardiff University Dr Andrew Husband Mr Mark Brennan Mrs. Linda Stewart

(Pharmacist Team Member) Dean of Pharmacy, Durham University (Pharmacist Team Member)Director of Undergraduate Studies for Pharmacy and the Director of Learning and Teaching for the Faculty of Health, Keele University (Pharmacist Team Member) DHSSPS Pharmaceutical Officer

Dr Geoff Hall (Academic Team Member) Associate Head, School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University Professor Dorothy Whittington (Lay Team Member) Non‐Executive Director, Northern Health and Social Care Trust; Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University

of Ulster

along with: Name Designation at the time of visit Ms Joanne Martin* Accreditation and Recognition Manager, General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Mr Peter McKee Pre‐registration facilitator, Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Ian Marshall Rapporteur, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde *attended pre‐visit meeting Declarations of potential conflicts of interest Professor Whittington is an emeritus professor of the University, having worked in the University of Ulster as a Professor of Psychology until 2003. The team agreed that, in the present context, this did not represent a conflict of interest. The provider: University of Ulster representatives comprised: Name Designation at the time of accreditation event Meetings

attended Abdel‐Wahab, Dr. Yasser Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences 4


Bjourson, Professor Tony Biomedical Sciences Research Institute Director 4 Burnett, Dr. Kathy Burns, Dr. Tony

Course Director of the MPharm Programme Technician

2, 3, 4 4

Callan, Professor John Norbrook Chair in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2, 3, 4 Callan, Dr. Bridgeen Curran, Professor Carol Dooley, Professor James

Lecturer in Pharmaceutics Dean of Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Professor of Microbiology

4 4 4

Faheem, Dr. Ahmed Garvin, Ms. Karen

Lecturer in Pharmaceutics Community pharmacist

4 4

Gault, Dr. Victor Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences 4 Hagan, Dr Paul Teaching Fellow 4 Hawthorne, Dr. Susan Technician 4 Irwin, Dr. Nigel Lecturer in Pharmacology 4 Jack, Mr. Iain Lecturer in Clinical and Pharmacy Practice 4 Kyle, Mrs. Gaye Clerical assistant 4 Mawhinney, Prof Mike Visiting Professor 4 McAlister, Professor DeniseMcBride, Mrs Kim McCarron, Professor Paul

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning) Technician – Pharmacy Practice Head of School and Professor of Pharmaceutics

3 4 2, 3

McCullagh, Ms. Fionnuala McHale, Professor Tony

Teacher‐practitioner Professor of Medical Biotechnology

4 4

McMullan, Mr. Charlie Community pharmacist, placement tutor 4 Morrissey, Dr. Ruth Nomikou, Dr. Nikoleta O’Brien, Mr. Eoghan O’Hare, Ms. Roisin Robinson, Mrs. Jane Simpson, Mr. Glen

Lead Pharmacist – Research & Clinical Trials Part‐time lecturer Visiting lecturer, community pharmacist Lead teacher‐practitioner pharmacist NI University Network Industrial lecturer, Nicobrand Ltd Community pharmacist

4 4 4 4 4 4

Sweetman, Dr. Sandra Toner, Mr. Stephen

Lecturer, Pharmaceutical Sciences Lead pharmacist, NHSCT

4 4

Webba da Silva, Dr Mateus Reader in Pharmaceutical Chemistry 4 White, Ms. Bronagh Lecturer in Clinical and Pharmacy Practice 4 The accreditation team also had the opportunity to meet with a group of 18 students comprising 3 students from Year 1, 4 from Year 2, 4 from Year 3, and 7 from Year 4.


The accreditation criteria Pre‐requisites Criteria Provider’s response Accreditation team’s commentary 1. The student undertakes at least 3,000

hours of directed study of pharmaceutically‐relevant subjects within a full‐time degree course of four years’ duration.

The documentation stated that the MPharm programme is a four year full‐time integrated Masters degree, comprising modules of between 10 and 40 credits, compliant with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, where notionally 10 hours of student effort equate to one credit point. Each semester of study comprises 60 credits and each level of study 120 credits. In 2011/12, the student undertook 3,257 hours of directed study during the four Levels of the course: 757 hours of lectures, 677.5 hours of practical classes, 262 hours of tutorials/workshops, 188 hours of supervised placements, and 1,500.5 hours of directed study and reading, which will be indicated during lectures, tutorials and as practical preparation. In 2012/13, the student will undertake 3,391 hours of directed study during the four Levels of the course: 755 hours of lectures, 696.5 hours of practical classes, 260 hours of tutorials/workshops, 184 hours of supervised placements, and 1,495.5 hours of directed study and reading, which will be indicated during lectures, tutorials and as practical preparation. In 2013/14, following the introduction of the final PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 module, the student undertakes 3,391 hours of directed study during the four Levels of the course: 749 hours of lectures, 693.5 hours

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team noted that the introduction of a re‐designed module from that originally envisaged had slightly changed the balance of student activities but not the overall length of the programme. This criterion is met


of practical classes, 264 hours of tutorials/workshops, 184 hours of supervised placements, and 1,500.5 hours of directed study and reading, which will be indicated during lectures, tutorials and as practical preparation .

2. The greater part of the curriculum and not less than 50% of the final year of the degree course is core content, i.e. common to all students.

The documentation stated that over the four years of the MPharm course, 420 of the 480 credits taken (87.5%) are core and common to all students. This core content represents 100% of the curriculum in Levels 4, 5 and 6. In Level 7, 60 credits (50%) of the curriculum is core content, with the remaining 60 credits (50%) being project (40 credits) and elective choices (two electives of 10 credits each).

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team noted that students are required to take two electives in Year 4 and was told that the elective on nanotechnology is associated with a practical element. As a result, the minimum number of students required is 3 before this elective becomes viable; in the current year only one student opted for this elective and hence it was not delivered. The team was told that the elective on complementary medicines is associated with face‐to‐face tutorials but otherwise the electives are delivered on‐line through the VLE, using a discussion board facility. It was stressed that all the electives are extra to the material covered in the core of the programme with the only area not being covered in the core being the material in the business elective.

This criterion is met

3. Those components of the degree course which collectively deal with the actions and uses of drugs and medicines occupy no less than 35% of the curriculum, irrespective of the extent of specialisation in the final

The documentation stated that substantive portions of lectures in the following modules, incorporate actions and uses of drugs: PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 AND PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2; PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS; PHA704 PHARMACY PRACTICE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP; PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. This criterion is met


year. SCIENCE; PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 AND PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2; PHA311, PHA312, PHA513, PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, 2, 3 AND 4; PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL STERILE PRODUCTS; PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY; PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY; PHA501 BIOMOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS AND

IMMUNOLOGY; PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS; PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY; PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN; PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT; PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 AND PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2. This represented 39.6% of the curriculum in 2011/12, 38.8% of the curriculum in 2012/13 and represents 38.9% of the curriculum on 2013/14.

4. At least 35% of those parts of the degree course common to all students involve the student in preparing for, undertaking and analysing the outcomes of experiments, exercises or observations wherein s/he reaches his/her own findings or conclusions.

The documentation stated that all modules, from Level 4 to Level 7 of the proposed MPharm programme, have significant amounts of practical classes and coursework, which involve the student in preparing for, undertaking and analysing the outcomes of experiments, exercises or observations wherein s/he reaches his/her own findings or conclusions. This amounted to 39.4% of the common parts of the degree course in 2011/12 and 40.0% in 2012/13. In 2013/14 this amounts to 39.8%.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is likely to be met. This criterion is met

5. The degree course includes a significant research project of three to six months duration, but not necessarily with all curriculum time during this period being devoted to this activity alone. The student must undertake the project alone or as

The documentation stated that the PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT module accounts for 40 credits in semester 1 of Level 7 of the MPharm programme. Project titles are allocated in PHA506 METHODOLOGIES IN PHARMACY RESEARCH in semester 2 of Level 6, and ethical and governance considerations accounted for prior to the start of Level 7. The duration of the project is more than three months. All members of academic staff must

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. Students from the Final Year interviewed told the accreditation team that the projects had worked well in the current academic year. Titles had been chosen and allocated during Year 3 and students had had monthly


his/her individual contribution to a team endeavour. The project must address a research question or problem, must involve a critique of research methodology employed, and must include an analysis of results generated directly by the student or indirectly by others as primary researchers.

put forward project titles, which are in the following areas: pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice. Students undertake their research project alone with no students performing identical projects, though they may be working within an overall larger project in a similar area of research. They have to write up their work independently and there are routine cross checks for plagiarism using ‘Turnitin’. The project addresses a research question or problem, involves a critique of research methodology employed, and includes an analysis of results generated directly by the student or indirectly by others as primary researchers. Within PHA506 METHODOLOGIES IN PHARMACY RESEARCH, a compulsory module, all students are taught quantitative and qualitative techniques and data handling relevant to all types of research, irrespective of what particular area of research their project is related to. This ensures that all students are aware of all types of research and are not restricted to the one that they are doing in the PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT module.

meetings with their project supervisors. Students described PhD students working in the School as having been particularly helpful to them in completing their projects. Students described the assessment as including the project report itself, plus abstract, followed by a presentation with a mini‐viva‐type panel questioning session. This criterion is met

6. All pharmacy degree course entrants must have achieved GCSE at Grades A to C, or equivalent qualifications, in English Language and Mathematics

The entry criteria for the MPharm programme include the following: entrants will have achieved GCSE at Grades A to C, or equivalent qualifications, in English Language and Mathematics. International students are required to possess IELTS overall score 7.0 (with no individual band score below 6.5).

The accreditation team noted that in response to a comment from the Step 6 accreditation team the required IELTS score had been increased for international students (in reality, the School has only recruited one international student to date, the student being from Canada). The team was initially concerned that entrance grades might be drifting downwards particularly given the very low (18%) conversion rate from offers to acceptances. The team was told that the University monitors closely the conversion


rate. The Dean told the team that the former predictors now were no longer applicable and that the University depended on a lot of local knowledge. The team was told that the School had never accepted applicants with less than 300 points and was under no pressure to reduce the tariff. The Pro‐Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning assured the team that any request from the Faculty to lower entrance grades would have to be approved by her office. The Dean was of the opinion that subsequent to full accreditation of the programme by the regulators the conversion rate would improve. The Dean and Pro Vice Chancellor emphasized that quality was the main driver for recruitment and that although there was a need to improve the conversion rate there was no pressure to increase numbers. Although widening access was said to be a priority for the University the School was aware that BTech entrants at DDD level had struggled and that henceforth the School would be looking more closely at the modules in which students had obtained distinction with a concentration on chemistry qualifications. This criterion is met

Outcomes The graduate… Criteria Provider’s response Accreditation team’s commentary 7. takes personal responsibility for

his/her learning, developing a foundation for subsequent continuing professional development,

The documentation stated that the University introduced the Personal Development Planning (PDP) Policy in 2007 as a result of the Dearing review (NCIHE, 1997) which recommended that institutes develop a means by which students can monitor, build and reflect upon their personal development. The key objective of the PDP policy within the

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. Teaching staff described using assessments, e.g. MCQ tests, to encourage student independent learning. The team was concerned at this approach and the comments in


University is to support students to become more efficient, independent and autonomous learners. PDP must feature in, and be introduced during, all award‐bearing programmes, although the ultimate responsibility for engaging with the PDP process resides with the student. In 2011/12 PDP was supported further with the introduction of the Professional and Career Enhancement (PACE) system. The PACE system is the University of Ulster’s online student and graduate employability system and one of its functions is to support the recording of PDP activity. It provides a ‘single place’ to collect records of personal development and planning. Key features of PACE supporting PDP: collate personal, career and academic achievements; assess and demonstrate your skills; define personal and career goals; build CVs from specialized templates; collate all employability evidence in e‐portfolios and share. The system supports the recording of outcomes of the PDP process electronically. The use of the PDP process is discussed and monitored at 1:1 meetings between a student and his/her studies adviser. This is encouraged from Level 4 onwards. In addition to the PDSystem all modules contain an element of directed study to encourage students to take responsibility for their own personal learning. This, in essence, is delivered as problem‐based learning where students are provided with problems/tasks and are directed to appropriate texts/ resources to assist them in finding the solution. Students are made aware that Directed Study is examinable. MPharm students are encouraged to become reflective learners rather than surface learning for the purposes of assessment by introducing students to the concept of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). In PHA102

the submission that students did not engage well with certain aspects of the programme unless they were assessed. In one case an assessment had been introduced to encourage students to engage better; the team considered that this approach did not sit comfortably with the development of self‐motivation. Teaching staff went on to describe problem‐based learning as helping to develop independent learning skills; students interviewed agreed with this. Students were described as being well supported in developing independent learning skills through meetings with staff on an individual basis, and individual or group seminars. First Year students described the lifelong learning module in which they are introduced to a drug which they have to follow and develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of during the 4 years of the programme. Students were of the opinion that unless they prepared for practical classes in advance then they would experience great difficult in fulfilling the requirements of the class. Both staff and students cited the placements as critical and useful in providing a basis for student involvement in developing skills for future continuing professional development (CPD). One of the community pharmacy placement tutors told the team that he adopted a questioning approach with his tutees, trying to get them to think through a process logically before answering. Students interviewed told the team that by final year they were used to undertaking CPD and felt as prepared as they possibly could be for using it in their future professional lives. First year students described CPD as being extremely useful. Final year students told the team that the final year elective modules required entirely independent working on their behalf with extra reading, quizzes and essays to be completed. Students interviewed were well aware of the Code of Conduct for Pharmacy Students which they said


PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, an understanding of the requirement and importance of CPD and Fitness to Practise to comply with registration and professional requirements of the GPhC and PSNI are taught and discussed. The post‐registration facilitator from the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland delivers a CPD lecture to the students in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 in which the mandatory CPD requirements are taught and potential impacts on registration are discussed. This visit by the post‐registration facilitator is repeated in PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND

PRESCRIBING SCIENCE so that the students’ awareness and understanding of their registration and continued registration requirements in relation to CPD are fully informed. As part of coursework assessments within the PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 module, students complete one unscheduled cycle of CPD learning associated with their placement experience, record and present it as an oral presentation to their peers. The cycle is assessed (summative) by academic staff against the criteria applied by the PSNI, while academic staff also formatively assess the delivery of the presentation, and students receive feedback. The process is further developed in the subsequent Pharmacy Practice and Clinical modules: in the PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 2 module students complete two unscheduled cycles; in PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12) and PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) students complete one scheduled and one unscheduled learning cycle; while in PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2011/12) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2012/13 onwards) two scheduled learning cycles are completed. Students have engaged well with the process and feedback has been positive. It has been heartening to see some examples where students have

was reinforced particularly for placements. Additionally, they stressed the need to take care when using social media. They were also aware of the Fitness to Practise (FtP) regulations and told the team that a representative of the PSNI had delivered a talk on FtP issues. This criterion is met


commented on how useful the reflective activities have been in helping them gain a better understanding of topics that they previously found quite difficult. Students’ CPD is recorded through the maintenance of a reflective portfolio which the students are provided with for their community and hospital placements, inside which they are required to keep records of their scheduled and unscheduled learning in the PSNI format of CPD cycles. This portfolio can be adapted to each individual student’s development needs. It is mainly used on community and hospital placement where the student is encouraged to reflect and record on how a piece of learning builds on their previous learning, how it is relevant to the student’s future role as a pharmacist and where possible its implications for the safe care of patients. This portfolio is currently in paper format in a ring bound folder, but the aim of the placement coordinator is to move this reflective portfolio to an online version in the near future. The students are provided with a portfolio Fitness to Practise and the Student Code of Conduct are introduced in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1. There is a Fitness to Practise Committee established, consisting of three members of academic staff, representing both sexes, who convene as and when required to consider matters relating to the Student Code of Conduct and subsequent Fitness to Practise. This committee convened once in the academic Year 2012/13 to discuss three students – two in third year and one in first year. This committee liaises closely with the Society. All students receive the MPharm Fitness to Practise Policy prior to registration. Each year prior to registration returning students are required to confirm that there has been no change in their fitness to practice status and a copy of this declaration is held in each


students file.

8. can communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with his/her teachers and peers, as a sound basis for future interaction with patients, carers and other healthcare professionals,

The documentation stated that all modules, right from the Level 4 to the Level 7 of the MPharm programme have significant amounts of tutorials, practical classes and coursework, where the students develop their effective communication skills, particularly with teachers and peers, which will provide a sound basis for future interaction with patients, carers and other healthcare professionals. Within the pharmacy practice and clinical modules, the students interact/will interact with patients and other healthcare professionals during their supervised placements in hospital and community. During Introduction to clinical skills in PHA102 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 1 in Level 4, there is an introductory didactic session on ‘tips’ for communicating with patients. There is then controlled discussion on cases where students suggest questions they might ask in certain patient scenarios. Two real patients are then brought to the second half of the workshop. Students are first given some background information on the patients in advance – they therefore had an opportunity to plan and discuss (with other students and teacher practitioners/lecturers) questions they might ask and how they might ask them. Students then addressed their prepared questions to the real patients in a supportive group environment, as a foundation for future 1:1 patient interactions where they will take on more responsibility for a whole discussion. After the patients leave, students reflect on and discuss how they think the questioning/interaction went. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE

– SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, students develop a range of skills for

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team was told that in the Year 2 placement students are given feedback on their communication skills based on a minor ailments consultation session. Students interviewed referred to the invaluable experience of vacation work in pharmacies as providing opportunities to communicate with patients. In the teaching relating to medical history taking, the importance of language and terminology is discussed. This criterion is met


communicating effectively in the healthcare setting. Students undertake Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) which assesses how students effectively communicate with patients in consultations and responding to symptoms. The marking criteria developed for assessing the communication skills in the Responding to Symptoms OSCEs was informed and developed by researching the various approaches used by other schools of pharmacy. One study, by Bell et al (2007)1 resulted in the production of 7 criteria considered as a valid measure of communication skills in pharmacy students that can be reliably assessed. These criteria were incorporated into the Responding to Symptoms OSCEs marking criteria which, alongside assessing students’ communication skills, were also developed to assess the students’ ability to take an accurate medication history, make a diagnosis and provide a suitable pharmaceutical product, if appropriate, with suitable advice. The marking criteria developed was evaluated by the pharmacists on academic staff, by the community teaching‐practitioner, and by community pharmacist representatives on the Pharmacy Employer’s Liaison Committee. In the placement component of PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 students have the opportunity to participate in the care of patients through counselling them on the action and appropriate use of OTC medicines in the treatment of minor ailments under the supervision of the pharmacist tutor. As part of the assessment component for the placement coursework students are required to provide a written report on pharmaceutical care of a patient with either a respiratory condition or a gastrointestinal condition and present this report to their peers and staff in a seminar.

1 Bell D, Mackellar A and Ashcroft D (2007). A study to develop and test a new method of assessment of communication skills of pharmacy undergraduate students; the patient as the assessor. Learning from Innovation in Pharmacy Education, Pharmacy Practice Research Trust.


Within PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS students engaged in a lively and spirited debate, the motion of which was ‘This House believes that the sale and supply of Complementary and Alternative Medicines by Community Pharmacists is supported by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland’s Code of Ethics’. The debate required students to demonstrate a clear understanding and application of the obligations of pharmacists within the code of ethics. The team supporting the motion won the debate due to their confident yet relaxed manner in presenting their arguments for the motion. Within the pharmacy practice modules in second, third and fourth year mentioned above, the students also learn how to communicate effectively with patients and other healthcare professionals within the dispensing OSCEs, where medicine information enquiries, communication of side‐effects and counselling issues, and dealing with scenarios where the prescriber needs to be contacted over a legal or clinical matter with a prescription will be encountered. In PHA704 PHARMACY PRACTICE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, students communicate both verbally and in writing a new venture or future development of a service in pharmacy practice. One group of students submitted their new venture for consideration to the Vice Chancellor’s Student Fund which is available to registered undergraduate and postgraduate students and provides grants to support student focused projects and activities, with a particular emphasis on student innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity. This group were successful in their bid, illustrating how effective this communication was. During the hospital placement in Level 4, students interact


with and accompany a clinical pharmacist and pharmacy technician to a ward. On the ward, the pharmacist gives an overview of a selected patient’s case and medication chart/kardex. One of the learning outcomes for the level 4 hospital placement is that the student has interacted with at least three members of the hospital pharmacy team. Within PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2 during the hospital placement, students learn how to answer and communicate responses to medicines information queries, counsel a patient on a medicine and accurately take and record a medication history. Within this hospital placement there are workshops where the students use role play to practice medication history‐taking, medicines reconciliation and patient counselling. They then carry out these activities on real patients on the ward (supervised and assessed). At the end of the Level 5 hospital placement, the students work in groups to prepare a PowerPoint® presentation on the role of the pharmacist. They receive feedback on the content and on presentation skills. During the hospital placement in Level 6, in PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3, students develop their communication skills with a range of people; they communicate directly with patients, and healthcare professionals to synthesise and record pharmaceutical care plans for patients. They record details of a communication with a healthcare professional and a patient in their placement workbooks. In the level 7 hospital placement in PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (2012/13) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND


THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) the students further develop their communication skills with a range of healthcare professionals and with patients. Within this experience the students also carry out a practice‐based audit and orally present this audit to their peers and tutors. In many practical classes the students work in small groups and feedback coursework to the rest of the class in tutorials. In addition, individually for coursework, the students need to prepare written reports on the experiments detailing methods, results and conclusions. Calculations and graph drawing are also often required. In Level 4 the students submit group reports on practical classes conducted in the PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 AND PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 modules. This involves the students collecting data on a specific experiment and submitting this information in a formal report of 1,500 words maximum including references. In PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2, students will be required to deliver an oral presentation during a mini symposium with an audience of both staff and peers. This presentation will be based on a specific case study the student has researched in a small group under the designation ‘integrating chemistry in practice’. The presentation will be assessed on both content and delivery by both science and practice staff. In PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS, the students are divided into groups of three and each group submits a jointly designed and produced item of coursework which involves an essay (2000 words), complete with references, on a particular analytical technique and its application in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science. Each student covers one area of the


principles, instrumentation or applications in pharmacy, on the particular analytical technique, coming together to produce a ‘united’ electronic submission. This electronic submission is uploaded at the PHA302 BBLearn site where it is processed through the plagiarism detection tool Turnitin®. In addition students are invited to assess their fellow group member’s individual contribution to the submission to permit a ‘peer assessment’ contribution to each group member’s mark. In PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY practical classes students are required to work in groups communicating with each other and finally each student is required to write an individual report on each practical session within their lab book to be assessed. In the PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY module, one coursework component requires the students to prepare a PowerPoint® presentation on an emerging cancer chemotherapy agent and deliver this presentation to their peers and staff. In PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY the students are required to submit electronically, a group report based on their ‘mini project’ results where they are required to synthesise, analyse, formulate and evaluate a drug of their choice for a specific patient. The written report includes both the final product as well as all analytical data and a critical review of their findings. In PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY (AY 2011/12) and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN (AY 2012/13 onwards) the practical element contains extemporaneous dispensing. The students carry out a number of dosage form preparations independently culminating in an assessed lab in week 12 in


the presence of a number if internal as well as an external assessor. The students are also required to keep a documented lab book detailing the information relating to the extemporaneous preparation of medicines. Students present their final PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT thesis orally; this presentation contributes to the final mark for the project.

9. can undertake structured problem‐solving,

The documentation stated that structured problem‐solving elements have been incorporated almost invariably in all modules of the MPharm programme. In many of the practical classes the students will be participating in reading, recording and calculating of results. Examples: In PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 the students have pharmaceutical calculation practical classes, where they complete a workbook during class after examples of the calculations are demonstrated. The students are also given directed study in the required textbook, with further calculations to complete. These calculations continue to be developed in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY

PRACTICE –SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL

STERILE PRODUCTS, and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND

PRESCRIBING SCIENCE. In addition to calculation components within the formative and assessed dispensing OSCEs in the above modules, within PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE there are formal calculations tests which have pass marks of 60%. Within the latter this test has the calculations questions in the same format as the pre‐registration examination calculations paper. Within PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 the students also

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. As indicated in the commentary to Criterion #7 above, both staff and students considered that the problem‐based learning in the programme helped develop students’ independent learning skills. This criterion is met


undertake six weeks of algebra and calculus classes, including logs, differentiation and calculus, solving problems which they will encounter during their undergraduate studies. The BMS103 PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY tutorials for MPharm students are designed as case study presentations. Students are encouraged to apply their knowledge of physiology and anatomy to explore the role of the pharmacist in addressing and solving pharmaceutical care issues. In PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS, lectures on structural identification of drug molecules using techniques, such as UV, IR, MS and NMR are followed by laboratory based sessions practising such problem solving. These practical sessions culminate with the students having to identify an unknown drug from a collection of spectroscopic information, such as NMR, IR and Mass Spectroscopic data. In PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 practical sessions, students are required to identify an unknown compound using a range of simple chemical tests. In particular, students identified a range of carbohydrates using differences in their physical and chemical properties. In addition, unknown organic compounds are identified using TLC and mixed melting point determination. In PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL STERILE PRODUCTS, the students are required to develop two standard operating procedures, one to include an element of clinical calculation for patient treatment with sterile parenteral products and the other on risk management. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 and PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE


– SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS the students apply skills and knowledge to solve problems relating to patients presenting with complaints and minor ailments. While in these modules and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE, the proprietary dispensing practical classes will involve problem‐solving of illegal or therapeutically unsafe prescriptions. In PHA311 AND PHA312 cLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS

1 AND 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (2011/12), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (2012/13 onwards), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) there are problem‐based workshops involving the design and development of pharmaceutical care plans and medicine use reviews. Students are required to apply clinical skills to screen patients for medication‐related problems, monitor treatment and interpret and apply the results to patient care. During the Level 5 hospital placement in PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, a Medicines Information pharmacist facilitates a Medicines Information workshop. Several ethical dilemmas relating to medicines are posed to the students. They work through these problems in groups – with access to references and resources – and then feed back their findings to the larger group. During the Level 6 hospital placement in PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12) and PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards), and level 7 PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) students develop pharmaceutical care plans for actual patients, working through the structured


format of the HSC pharmaceutical care plan documentation. The care issues identified are prioritised and students present their completed care plans to their tutors and peer group. In PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY, the students are required to determine the stability of an ester at elevated temperatures by working independently to collect data at a particular temperature and collaborating all their classes data together to produce an independent report where the information gained is extrapolated to conclude the stability of the ester at room temperature with reference to the shelf life of a drug. In PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY (AY 2011/12) and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN (AY 2012/13 onwards) the students are presented with a number of fabricated patient prescriptions where they must ascertain and prepare the medicine in question. In PHA501 BIOMOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS AND IMMUNOLOGY part of the assessed coursework encompasses a problem‐solving exercise where experimental research outcomes have to be presented in the format of a brief scientific paper. In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY part of the practical component involves the use of a cell toxicity assay to examine the toxicity of a cancer chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin). Students use known quantities of drug to treat tumour cells in tissue culture, assess the effect of those drug concentrations on cell viability in culture, prepare a standard curve and subsequently derive a TD50 for the drug. Students also qualitatively compare different types of cell viability assay and provide this in their practical write‐up. Also within the antimicrobial part of this module, practical sessions involve case studies where the students need to use the information provided to determine reasons for treatment failure and


treatment options. The PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT module will also involve a significant element of problem‐solving.

10. is able to recognise ethical dilemmas in healthcare and science, and understands ways in which these might be managed by healthcare professionals, whilst taking account of relevant law,

The documentation stated that students are introduced to the Student Code of Ethics and Fitness to Practise procedures of the GPhC and PSNI in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1. They also get an introduction to the sources of law, statute and civil and how these laws are relevant to pharmacy. This is further developed in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 where students gain an in depth knowledge in statute law such as Medicines Act, Misuse of drugs. In PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 the students are given case studies, where they are presented with ethical dilemmas and expected to deliver an outcome taking into consideration what their legal requirements may be. In PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE 3 – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, students develop their knowledge on civil law and the concept of negligence. There is an introduction to ethics and ethical decision making where students will be exposed to ethical dilemmas in pharmacy practice and will be enabled to develop a process for professional decision making when faced with such dilemmas. During the placement students are required to discuss ethical decision making with placement tutors where tutors can describe confidentially specific ethical dilemmas that they have been exposed to and their process for coming to a decision in those situations. Within PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS students engaged in a lively and spirited debate, the motion

The team was told by students interviewed that the Code of Ethics was emphasized throughout the programme. Students told the team that none of their number being interviewed had encountered an ethical dilemma directly on placement but one student told the team that their placement tutor had described a case to them that had occurred in the placement locus. The team was also told that a representative of the Pharmacists’ Defence Association had conducted a courtroom‐type debate with the class. A student taking the elective on pharmacy in the Republic of Ireland referred to the need to compare and contrast the ethical and legislative requirements north and south of the border. Overall, final year students interviewed considered themselves prepared for making ethical judgements in their future professional life. This criterion is met


of which was ‘This House believes that the sale and supply of Complementary and Alternative Medicines by Community Pharmacists is supported by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland’s Code of Ethics’. The debate required students to demonstrate a clear understanding and application of the obligations of pharmacists within the code of ethics. The team supporting the motion won the debate due to their confident yet relaxed manner in presenting their arguments for the motion. During the Level 5 hospital placement in PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, a Medicines Information pharmacist facilitates a Medicines Information workshop. Several ethical dilemmas relating to medicines are posed to the students. They work through these problems in groups – with access to references and resources – and then feed back their findings to the larger group. In PHA311 AND PHA312 cLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS

1 AND 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (2011/12), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (2012/13 onwards), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) students learn about the application of the principles of clinical pharmacy in patient care settings, taking into account ethical dilemma in treatment choice. In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE students analyse and use prescribing data to assist in the development of guidelines and prescribing policy. The ethical decisions to be made within non‐medical prescribing related to treatment choices and the application of relevant law and standards for non‐medical prescribers is also taught.


PHA506 METHODOLOGIES IN PHARMACY RESEARCH and PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT (not all projects) help students to distinguish between ethical and legal issues that may arise in research, and develop the skills and identify the resources required to enable them to address such problems systematically and successfully. In PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT the ethical issues and problems relating to clinical trials will be discussed, including the Declaration of Helsinki.

11. appreciates and has an understanding of main sources of drugs; ways in which drugs are purified, characterised and analysed; their physico‐chemical properties; and properties drugs display as biologically active molecules in living systems,

The documentation stated that the main sources of drugs (i.e. natural products, semi‐synthetic and synthetic) are introduced to students in PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY

1, while methods for their purification, such as crystallisation and chromatography are addressed in both PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL

CHEMISTRY 2. This is extended in PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT were other concepts, such as genomics and proteomics as potential source of new lead drug candidates will be addressed. This module will also discuss how these concepts may eventually lead to personalised medicines. The physiochemical properties of drugs will be studied in detail in PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY although certain concepts, such as thermodynamics and chemical kinetics are introduced in PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1. In PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS the student is provided with the ability to select and apply appropriate analytical methods (i.e., volumetric, UV, IR, NMR, fluorescence, AA, and Mass Spectrometry) and instrumentation for drug analysis of pharmaceutical raw materials and final products. The student will also learn how HPLC can be used as an extension of TLC

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of the previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. Year 1 students described all the material presented at the early stages of the programme as being put into context. This criterion is met


to separate and identify components within a mixture. The properties drugs display as biologically active modules is introduced in PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2, when drug–receptor interactions are discussed in medicinal chemistry. This is extended in PHA311 AND PHA312 cLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 AND 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (2011/12), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (2012/13 onwards), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) when the student will be able to describe in detail the key effects of drugs within complex body systems, and provide an account of the use of drugs to manage disorders of these systems. In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY conventional and emerging cancer chemotherapeutic drugs are discussed, beginning with the identification of the precise molecular target (DNA replication, translation, telomerase, tumour angiogenesis, oncogene suppression, histone acetylase etc.), the actual chemotherapeutic agent, the effectiveness with which the conventional or emerging agent provides therapeutic benefit and where relevant, challenges presented by the use of those agents. One precise example of this would be the development of the anthracyclin doxorubicin from the natural isolate, daunorubicin – mechanism(s) of action of doxorubicin ‐ dosing and co‐administration scenarios, therapeutic benefits and limitations – novel liposomal formulations to circumvent limitations. In addition, the use of doxorubicin in the practical element of this module reinforces the lecture‐based material. Within PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY the identification of active antimicrobial agents is also taught, with reference to selective toxicity, spectrum of activity and how structural changes can


be used to influence this. The cellular mechanism of action of antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoal and anthelminthic agents is covered, along with mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. The synthetic skills, analytical techniques and formulation that have been taught to the students in their first two and a half years are combined in the form of a ‘mini project’ in PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY. Here students design a six week project which incorporates the synthesis, characterisation, evaluation and formulation of a well‐known pharmaceutical compound for a specific patient. This draws on knowledge gained from level 4 and allows each student to corroborate that information culminating in the production of a final medicinal product in an appropriate dosage form.

12. has an understanding of the design, manufacture and performance of drug dosage forms and is able critically to appreciate the inter‐relationship between formulation, drug delivery and therapeutic effectiveness,

The documentation stated PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 provides an overview of the design and manufacture of different dosage forms. In PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY the student will gain an understanding of the physical properties of chemical systems in formulations and how this affects drug delivery. During this module students will prepare and analyse different types of formulations, such as suspensions and emulsions. PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY (AY 2011/12) and PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY (AY 2012/13 onwards) covers the application of these physicochemical principles in pre‐formulation and dosage form design. The students are taught the three major considerations in the design of dosage form and throughout the lectures series they will be expected to consider the biopharmaceutical, physicochemical as well as therapeutic considerations when discussing and deciding the most appropriate dosage form to be used. The practical element in this module will cover the design and manufacture of

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. This criterion is met


different dosage forms from the importance of mixing, particle size to the preparation and testing of an oral dosage form. The importance of biopharmaceutics on the therapeutic effectiveness of different dosage forms is also discussed in this module. After studying the modules PHA311 AND PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 AND 2, and PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12), AND PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 3(AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) the student will have an understanding of the pharmacological activity of drugs and the importance of formulations for clinical effectiveness and patient compliance. In PHA501 BIOMOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS AND IMMUNOLOGY an understanding of molecular biology techniques in relation to drug design, selection and performance will be studied. In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY, by highlighting the limitations relating to the use of cancer chemotherapeutic drugs such as toxicity of doxorubicin and cisplatin, novel formulations (e.g. liposomal) and drug targeting strategies (PDT & SDT, drug carriers, activated release mechanisms) are introduced. One example provided in lectures is the development of liposomal formulations of toxic therapeutics such as doxorubicin in order to target tumour enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effects and the direct impact such approaches have on therapeutic index. Within this module the use of different formulations of antimicrobial agents to overcome limitations such as short half‐life and acid labile preparations is also taught.


In PHA709 NOVEL TARGETING AGENTS IN CANCER the development of new drug treatments is looked at, while in PHA712 PHARMACEUTICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY the evaluation of novel delivery systems is studied.

13. understands how medicines are developed, manufactured and brought to the market place,

The documentation stated that an introductory overview to drug design, manufacture and delivery is provided in Level 4 during PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1. An introduction to medicinal chemistry and rational drug design (QSAR) is provided in PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 and extended in PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT. PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY, PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG

DELIVERY SYSTEMS (AY 2011/12), PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL

TECHNOLOGY (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT cover medicine development from the drug substance through preformulation and formulation to the market place, including clinical trials and product licensing, with emphasis on quality assurance procedures. Associated with PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS in Level 5, the students have placement opportunities at local pharmaceutical industries, where they are introduced to the responsibilities of the holder of the Manufacturing Authorisation License and the role of the Qualified Person in the manufacture of medicinal products. To accommodate the industrial hosts these visits may be scheduled in semester 2. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND LEGAL ISSUES students learn about the licensing requirements for medicinal products and the systems both national and centralised for obtaining marketing authorisations.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team was told that one of the pharmaceutics modules had proved too demanding, containing both extemporaneous preparation and industrial manufacturing. This had now been divided into separate modules which allowed inter alia more detail on the manufacture and testing of tablets. The team was told that there are industrial visits during the programme and that there are industrial representatives on the School’s stakeholder group. During the industrial visit students are able to observe manufacture, analysis and packaging of products and see the relevance of the analytical techniques covered in the programme. A Qualified Person from industry delivers lectures on quality assurance and on medical devices from a personalized medicine perspective. Another industrialist gives talks on quality control, packaging and licensing in the industry. In addition, the team was told that staff research links to industry inform some of the final year projects. This criterion is met


In PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (AY 2011/12) and PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY (AY 2012/13 onwards), students will take a small molecule drug (such as aspirin or paracetamol) through the various steps involved in the production of a dosage form i.e. synthesis, analysis and formulation, to provide them with a first‐hand experience of how a dosage form is produced from raw materials. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, students are introduced to drug development in the context of design elements of preclinical and clinical trials. These aspects are reinforced in PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY, where formulation and targeting strategies to enhance cancer and antimicrobial chemotherapeutic actions are delivered both in the lecture program and in one of the cancer practical sessions (PDT). Personalised / stratified medicines are also introduced in PHA501 BIOMOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS AND IMMUNOLOGY and then progressed in PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT.

14. has proved him/herself capable of performing pharmaceutical calculations accurately,

In PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, the students attend twelve 2‐hour practical classes on pharmaceutical calculations, the content of which is examined formatively mid‐semester and summatively in a class test at the end of the semester. This class test has a 60% pass mark, and students must pass this component of their coursework element of the module to pass the module as a whole. Compensation of marks is not allowed. Also within PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 the students attend six 2‐hour workshops of algebra and calculus classes, including logs, differentiation and calculus, solving problems which they will encounter during their undergraduate studies.

The team was told that the Final Year module PHA703 brings all the previous teaching on calculations together as a preparation for the PSNI Registration Assessment with a 60% pass mark. In the present year the marks for the module are calculated on a 50%/50% basis but this could lead to a “hidden fail” in which poor performance in calculations is compensated for by a good performance in coursework. The team was told that the School has taken the decision to make the Final Year calculations assessment a separate test for subsequent years. The accreditation team was aware that the 60% pass mark could possibly lead to grade inflation. This criterion is met


In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE

– SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND

PRESCRIBING SCIENCE, students will be expected to develop the knowledge gained during PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 and perform calculations involved in dispensing successfully, such as appropriate dose for weight of patient, strengths of solutions, number of days supplied, quantity dispensed. In the final year module, PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING

SCIENCE, the students will attend two 2‐hour calculation workshops, and as part of their coursework they must perform clinical calculations in a class test in which the calculations will be in the same format as that which they will encounter in the examination in their pre‐registration year. In PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL STERILE PRODUCTS the student is required to perform pharmaceutical calculations for the administration of drugs via infusion. In PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 the student is required to interpret experimental data and perform various fundamental pharmaceutical chemistry calculations, developing the knowledge gained in PHA102 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 1. In PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (AY 2011/12) and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN (AY 2012/13 onwards) calculations will be required during extemporaneous dispensing to calculate strengths and dilutions correctly. Students will be trained on the standard dispensing procedure on receipt of prescriptions for extemporaneous preparations e.g. solutions, suspensions, ointments, creams, etc. They are required to analyse different prescriptions and to assess what ingredients are required in


order to prepare the formulation as well as carry out any calculations specific to the task. In PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS, lectures on qualitative and quantitative analysis of drugs by various chromatographic methods including TLC, GLC and HPLC, are followed by continuous assessment questions on calculations concerning such quantitative analyses. The PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY module concentrates on the preformulation knowledge and calculations required for successful drug design and manufacture. For example: the physiochemical properties of drugs in solution described using the Van’t Hoff equation; how to calculate osmotic pressure and progressing to using another colligative property, the depression of freezing point, to calculate tonicity of solutions; adjusting tonicity using two different methods of calculating the amount of salt required for an isotonic solution; calculating the HLB value of a surfactant mixture that is required to formulate a stable emulsion. In PHA504 PHARMACOKINETICS (2011/12) and PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 (2011/12 onwards) students are required to carry out pharmacokinetic calculations, and therapeutic drug monitoring. Within the modules PHA311 AND PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 1 AND 2, and PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12), AND PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS

3(AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) students will gain experience of dose calculations, and the utilisation of laboratory test data.


In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY practicals students are expected to assess the toxicity of a cancer chemotherapeutic agent (doxorubicin) using quantitative data derived from tissue‐culture based cell viability assays.

15. has the capability to prepare extemporaneously any medicine for which this would be regarded as the normal means of provision, including by aseptic technique,

The documentation stated that this learning outcome is achieved by studying the module PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND

DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (AY 2011/12) and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM

DESIGN (AY 2012/13 onwards) when extemporaneous dispensing is performed and assessed by a competency‐based practical test. The PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL STERILE PRODUCTS module has been developed to ensure attainment of a level of competence in the maintenance of the integrity of the sterile environment, starting with sterile ingredients and ending up with a sterile product, also using competency assessments.


16. is able to interpret and evaluate, for safety, quality, efficacy and economy, prescriptions and other orders for medicines, and to advise patients and other healthcare professionals about medicines and their usage,

The documentation stated that this outcome is achieved by studying the PHARMACY PRACTICE modules, PHA311 AND PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 AND 2, and PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12), AND PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3(AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards). The students are introduced to the roles of other healthcare professionals in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, and how the roles of pharmacists and these other professionals function within the healthcare systems – this will enable them to keep advice to other healthcare professional within context. Experience of the interpretation and evaluation of prescriptions and signed orders from both medical and non‐

On the basis of the submitted documentation, the presentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. In the presentation the team was told about the School’s PPI strategy that initially had been a collaborative approach with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) which had proved useful for initial approaches to advocacy groups. These advocacy groups, including QUB CancerCare and UU Arthritis UK, are now dealt with on an individual basis. Overall, structured patient interaction occurs with an elderly couple in Year 1, 4 asthma, 1 diabetes and 3 chest, heart and stroke patients in Year 2, 2 CancerCare NI and 1 Parkinson’s patient in Year 3 and another Parkinson’s patient in Year 4. Students were described as having increased confidence in interacting with patients, and having engaged totally with the patient contact


medical prescribers commences in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 during practical classes, and continues through the remaining PHARMACY PRACTICE modules. During these classes, the evaluation of the prescriptions becomes gradually more complex, as the student gains more knowledge and experience through the clinical modules in each therapeutic area. In PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE, SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE students are required to detect any drug therapy problems in patients such as adverse drug actions and co‐existing inappropriate therapies that could impact on drug action Students will further develop the skill of communicating effectively problems with drug regimens to other healthcare professionals participating in the care of patients medication regimen In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE students will study the frameworks for independent and supplementary prescribing in a team environment, and partnerships in prescribing. In PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 students are presented with case studies where they will be asked for their professional opinion in different scenarios such as crushing tablets, taking other peoples medicine and abruptly stopping a certain type of medication. In PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (AY2011/12) PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN (AY 2012/13 onwards) the students will dispense extemporaneously according to written orders including preparation of labels with written instruction on the proper and safe use of medicines. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED

opportunities even though they are not formally assessed either by the patients themselves or staff. A survey has been carried out that has provided evidence of the value of the PPI strategy. Teaching staff indicated that they would like to bring patient contact opportunities into more of the modules in the programme. This criterion is met


CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) the students study the therapeutics of major organ systems, and develop pharmaceutical care plans for the treatment of individual patients, using case notes, patient medication records and medical notes. They also gain an understanding of medication‐related problems. In PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13) and in both PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) AND PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards), the selection of appropriate drug therapies for individual patients and those with special needs (the elderly, pregnant, terminally ill, surgical patient, etc) is taught, including those with renal and liver disease.

17. is aware of and understands systems for the quality assurance of products and pharmaceutical services. This includes the management of risk,

The documentation stated that the practical classes within the PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 modules involve the students performing the BP assay procedures on a range of different drugs and excipients. The student must interpret his / her results with reference to BP limits and make judgements on the quality of the product. In PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 the student is introduced to risk in a practice setting, with lectures on risk management, including the concepts of risk, risk assessment, the role of Standard Operating Procedures, and Root Cause Analysis. Risk and governance are also taught in PHA306 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 2 and PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, in both legislation and proprietary dispensing, where students describe and apply the legal requirements for supply

As indicated in the commentary to Criterion #13 above, a Qualified Person from the pharmaceutical industry delivers lectures on quality assurance and on medical devices from a personalized medicine perspective. Another industrialist gives talks on quality control, packaging and licensing in the industry. This criterion is met


of pharmaceutical services and products and understand the implications of non‐adherence to accepted standards of practice. Risk is also covered in the Responsible Pharmacist legislation within PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2. PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS develops these themes further looking at error models, risk reduction and risk management in relation to incidents and near misses. In addition, patient safety and risk assessment are discussed, including the use of tools such as the Checklist for Assessing Institutional Resilience (CAIR), Manchester Patient Safety Assessment Tool (MaPSaT), Operating Room Management Attitudes Questionnaire (ORMAQ) and the Stanford Patient Safety Centre of Inquiry Culture Survey. NPSA guidelines on managing risk associated with anticoagulants and methotrexate, including the Cambridgeshire incident are also discussed and a tutorial looking at specific case studies allows students to consider patient safety and risk assessment at a case level. In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE the students receive lectures and tutorials from members of the Northern Ireland Medicines Governance Team who are senior pharmacists working in the acute sector dedicated to medication safety. The Medicines Governance Team deliver a lecture on overall Medication Safety, followed by four tutorials where each student goes to all four sessions, on the following topics: 5 rights of dispensing ‐ the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right route, and the right time; Safe Dispensing Environment; High Risk Medicines; Interpreting Prescriptions. Within this module the students also develop an understanding of the clinical governance for pharmacist independent prescribers such as maintaining competency and insurance and liability arrangements.


In PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL STERILE PRODUCTS the students learn about the importance of sterile manufacture, the standards and guidance that both licensed and unlicensed production units are legally bound to adhere to and the importance of minimising risks associated with the maintenance and production of sterility. They are also taught about the levels of quality assurance that are required to ensure the safety and efficacy of sterile products, and the Quality Control processes that are inherent in any safe and effective manufacturing system. The PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS module develops an understanding of quality control/quality assurance of pharmaceutical raw materials and finished products using various qualitative and quantitative analytical methods. There are also three hours of lectures on the principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) including a specialist presentation from a manager employed in the Quality Control department of a pharmaceutical manufacturing company. The PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS module (AY 2011/12) and PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY (AY 2012/13 onwards) develops an understanding of the principles and applications of quality assurance procedures in pharmaceutical manufacturing. These lectures are delivered by a guest lecturer and Qualified Person with Norbrook Laboratories. In PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT, a summary of the quality assurance measures required for a drug at each stage of its development is covered. In addition, this module develops an understanding of the quality assurance of clinical


trial supplies and Investigational Medicinal Products, the role of the Qualified Person, and the legislative and regulatory requirements in quality assurance, including the roles of the MHRA, EMEA and FDA. The role of a clinical trials pharmacist in quality assurance is also taught within this module. In PHA504 PHARMACOKINETICS (2011/12 only) and PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 (2011/12 onwards) the students gain an understanding of the application of clinical laboratory tests and therapeutic drug monitoring in the management of risk. The importance of risk assessments is also explained before each practical session in all laboratory classes, and the students are required to sign a register stating that they have read the risk assessments associated with each practical.

18. is able to design, improve, and operate within standard operating procedures, including Patient Group Directions,

The documentation stated that this learning outcome is achieved by studying the module PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, after which the student is aware of the necessity for the development and implementation of appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs). In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 the student uses what they have learnt about SOPs and writes their own for the provision of a Minor Ailments Service. Within this module students also learn about the legal requirements of Patient Group Direction (PGD) development. Students also are required to follow the Model Pharmacy SOPs for the dispensing of warfarin, methotrexate and controlled drugs. As part of GLP within all laboratory‐based practical sessions, SOPs are provided for laboratory equipment and students are directed to these before operation of such equipment.



In PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL STERILE PRODUCTS, the practical classes are designed in the format of SOPs for the students to follow during their manipulations. Students will also develop SOPs as one component of coursework within this module. In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE the student will be provided with a detailed account of the legal and professional requirements in relation to accountability and responsibility for the provision of medicines under pharmacist independent prescribing. Students also learn about the application of PGDs in their hospital clinical placements.

19. is able to supply medicines in accordance with legal and professional requirements,

This learning outcome is achieved by studying the PHARMACY

PRACTICE modules and PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards), following which the student has developed the skills and identified the resources to enable them to procure, store, compound and supply medicinal products in accordance with legal requirements and with best practice. In the elective PHA707 PHARMACY PRACTICE IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, any differences in the legal and professional requirements pertaining to the supply of medicines in the Republic are explored.


20. can undertake critical appraisal of information or conjecture in all forms

The documentation stated that in Level 4 the students have to submit group reports on practical classes conducted in the

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation


of presentation,

PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 modules. This involves the students collecting data on a specific experiment and submitting this information in a formal report of 1,500 words maximum, including references. In this report the students will critically appraise their results with respect to the specifications listed in the BP. The role of the critical appraisal of information, or conjecture, in professional decision making based on clinical knowledge, experience and evidence will be covered by studying the modules PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards). In the clinical modules, students learn how to appraise information in the form of clinical guidelines, evidence‐based medicine, laboratory data, diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Further practical experience of critical appraisal is obtained in dispensing experience in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, and in PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE, and role playing in OTC requests in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS. In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE students use critical appraisal skills in the analysis of prescribing data and evidence‐based medicine. In PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY

1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

team agreed that this criterion is met. This criterion is met


THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) students discuss key clinical issues in the therapeutic areas taught in each module. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) students are asked to appraise experimental procedures critically and data sets generated from both computer‐based and wet practical classes. In addition, in PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 students design, carry out and write up an experiment to speculate on the identity of an unknown drug. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 1 students are introduced to the structure and design of preclinical and clinical trials and, in terms of the latter, introduced to mechanisms commonly used to remove bias from data interpretation. In PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY the students apply the fundamentals of physical properties of chemical systems to analyse critically and interpret experimental data logically within a theoretical physical pharmacy context in order to draw conclusions. PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS involves critical appraisal in the selection and application of appropriate analytical methods and instrumentation for the analysis of pharmaceutical raw materials and final products. Additionally critical appraisal within this module is required in problem solving exercises and structured tutorials concerned with the evaluation of analytical results following the application of these methods and instrumentation.


Critical analysis of information is required in PHA501 BIOMOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS AND IMMUNOLOGY in which students complete a problem solving exercise based on the biomolecular therapeutics practical classes. In PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN modules students are asked to develop a suitable dosage form for a particular medical problem. This requires the application of appropriate research approaches in the selecting of the synthetic and analytical techniques to be used, in addition to deciding on the most appropriate dosage form. In PHA506 METHODOLOGIES IN PHARMACY RESEARCH the student critically reviews scientific journals relating to their individual Research Proposal. This is further extended in the PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT module where again the student is required to critically appraise the literature in preparation of their project thesis in addition to critically evaluating the results they have obtained. In PHA704 PHARMACY PRACTICE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP the students must research the evidence for and critically appraise the likelihood of success of an idea for a new business venture.

21. can apply appropriate research approaches and methods to manage scientific and practice problems,

The documentation stated that PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 introduces the student to statistical methods of analysis and referencing. This statistical analysis is further developed within PHA506 METHODOLOGIES IN PHARMACY RESEARCH. Research methodologies used in all types of pharmacy

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team was told that the School attempts to embed research throughout the programme with an emphasis on both scientific and practice research that takes place within the School; this


research, to include research governance, critical reviews, and experimental design is taught in PHA506 METHODOLOGIES IN

PHARMACY RESEARCH in Level 6. During this module the student learns the skills associated with developing a sound research proposal and how to interpret results correctly. They also select their project during this module. Both science and practice projects are made available. All members of the School are expected to put forward proposals for final year projects. In AY 2012/13, during the first experience of research supervision for several members of practice/clinical staff, a mentoring arrangement was put in place, so that the supervision of students was supported by an experienced member of staff. This mentoring arrangement worked well, and student evaluations gave no cause for concern regarding supervisory ability. The application of these skills and knowledge is achieved during the PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT. The project addresses a research question or problem, involves a critique of research methodology employed, and includes an analysis of results generated directly by the student or indirectly by others as primary researchers.

helps students make an informed choice of their final year project. The team was assured that all students receive information on research methodologies applicable to both practice and science research, and that students can change their choice from science to practice projects and vice versa. The team was told that the School had experienced some problems with lack of student engagement in the project element of the programme; this had been approached by setting an MCQ test to allow students to test their relevant knowledge and understanding of research methodologies. The School reported that the students were now more enthused and that there had been a reduction in the number of absences. Practice projects were said to include equality and diversity issues and research governance. This criterion is met

22. has a foundation of knowledge, understanding and skills for promoting good health; diagnosing disease; and prescribing medicines.

The documentation stated that PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 provides the student with an understanding of the structures within which a pharmacist will function, and their role within this structure. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS the student gains knowledge and understanding of the legislative and ethical boundaries within which the pharmacist must practice. In addition, these modules give the student the necessary counselling skills to practise, and an understanding of health promotion and the psychosocial factors in health and healthcare delivery. During these modules the student also

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team noted that psychosocial factors in health and health promotion are developed in many modules. The team was told that such factors are mainly dealt with in the pharmacy practice modules with social determinants being introduced in Year 2. In Year 3 the learning outcomes are related to public health and enhanced pharmacy service provision. In the teaching relating to prescribing health beliefs are considered. In medical history taking students are expected


gains experience and skills in dispensing and responding to symptoms. The study of PHA704 PHARMACY PRACTICE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP enhances further the students’ knowledge on public health and government health priorities, while PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE develops the key skills that underpin non‐medical prescribing and the development clinical management plans. Students are taught about diversity and equality issues during PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 when the Equality and Diversity Officer for Ulster delivers a lecture prior to the students going on placement. Students will interact with a range of patients from diverse backgrounds during their community and hospital placements. PHA504 PHARMACOKINETICS (AY 2011/12) and PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 (AY 2011/12 onwards) provides students with an understanding of pharmacokinetics and therapeutic drug monitoring. In PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12) and PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) students study the various types of medication‐related problems and drug interactions. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) students develop the ability to formulate pharmaceutical care plans for patients. These modules are supported by hospital

to take into account patients’ health beliefs and to take care with language and terminology. Complementary medicine teaching covers lifestyle influences and includes stress, yoga and meditation. Motivation and change are dealt with, including encouragement to patients e.g. for smoking cessation; students were said to be enthusiastic about this element of the programme. This criterion is met


placements in which the students apply their knowledge of the therapeutics of the major organ systems in a clinical setting. The elective PHA711 VETERINARY PHARMACY provides students with an understanding of veterinary public health, companion animal healthcare and prophylactic treatments.

23. Understands and can explain concepts of medicines management and pharmaceutical care.

The documentation stated that PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 provides the student with an overview of the concepts of medicines management, with specific discussions on examples of medicines management in Northern Ireland. These concepts are applied during the tutorials in BMS103 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY, and are developed and applied within the hospital and community placement experiences. The concept and process involved in the delivery of pharmaceutical care is introduced in PHA306 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 2. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS

1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) the concepts of pharmaceutical care are built upon to provide the students with the ability to formulate and evaluate pharmaceutical care plans for individual patients in primary and secondary care. The students are given the knowledge and understanding to enable them to carry out medicines use reviews, and understand the principles and application of medical records. During the Level 6 and Level 7 hospital placements, students develop pharmaceutical care plans for actual patients, working through the structured



format of the HSC pharmaceutical care plan documentation. The care issues identified are prioritised and students present their completed care plans to their tutors and peer group. The PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY

PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS placements enable students to experience and know how the community pharmacist applies pharmaceutical care to patients through managing their drug therapy and monitoring medicine related illness effectively. The use of prescribing guidelines and protocols and the utilisation and analysis of prescribing data to support cost‐effective, rational prescribing, both by medical and non‐medical prescribers is taught in PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE.

Processes The student… Criteria Provider’s response Accreditation team’s commentary 24. is inculcated with a concern for the

patient, normally above other considerations,

The documentation stated that students are introduced to the concept of ‘duty of care’ and that the patient’s care, safety and wellbeing must be their first concern, within the Student’s Code of Conduct in the Student Fitness to Practise Policy, and lectures in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1. On the Level 4 hospital placement within this module, the teacher practitioner talks to the students about the patient being at the centre of what the pharmacist does from the first moment. They are then shown the patient on a ward before they even look at that patient’s drug order/medicine in order to emphasise that the patient comes even before the

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is likely to be met. The School’s PPI strategy is described in the commentary to Criterion #16 above. The documentation described the School’s Employers and Stakeholders Liaison Committee which is in its infancy. The team was told that the meeting of the Committee had had to be cancelled during the current academic year due to a large number of apologies having been received. The Committee was described as historically having been a very large group. The School’s


medicine, thereby reinforcing this concept of the practice of pharmacy from the start. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE

– SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS practical classes students are required to ascertain first and foremost who is the patient, what age, are there any conditions patient suffering from, any other medicines they may be taking before considering OTC treatment or dispensing of prescriptions. Within the PHARMACY PRACTICE modules, PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS

3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards), processes are in place to ensure that the students’ learning‐experience is patient‐centred. This is further strengthened by the placement experiences. The student will be made aware that their professional actions must be centred round the need to ensure safe, effective and efficacious treatment of patients under their care. The Patient‐Public Involvement (PPI) development within the MPharm programme has further strengthened the realisation of Ulster pharmacy students to the importance of patient‐centred pharmaceutical care. The strategy was developed during AY 2011/12 and has been further implemented this year. In PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, the students have a workshop with two elderly patients and discuss issues around multiple medications, access to services, and managing their

plan is to invite members of the Committee to the first graduation in 2013 and then form a smaller group but with two PPI representatives to introduce a greater patient orientation. The accreditation team explored the implications of the recent Francis Report and its central Duty of Care tenet; staff told the team that on the day that the Francis Report was published a lecture on whistleblowing, which generated a lively debate, was being delivered. It was stated that students are acutely aware of their responsibilities but have never reported any negative aspects from their placements. Any such issues would be dealt with by the placement co‐ordinator rather than the student themselves. This criterion is met


medications. This workshop has now been running for four years and feedback from both patients and students has always been very positive. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, the students have a workshop with service users of Asthma UK. This involves rotation around three small group discussions, with a mum of a child with asthma, a young person with asthma and an older person with asthma. This year, issues such as compliance, obtaining medical help in emergencies, steps of treatment, use of diaries with children and equivalence of generic and proprietary products was discussed. In PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, during the study of cardiovascular therapeutics and diabetes, the students have two workshops. One is with service users of NI Chest, Heart and Stroke and the other is with a diabetic patient. In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY, the students had two workshops; one was with a patient who had received radiotherapy only, while the other patient had undergone radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Issues such as choice of therapy, compliance, side‐effects, being a ‘cancer patient’ and what this can mean for the patient means, were all discussed. In PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 and PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 the students had a workshop with two Parkinson’s Disease patients and their carers. This workshop also contained a presentation from Parkinson’s UK outlining their role, the Get It On Time campaign and the role of other healthcare professionals. The patients discussed their treatments, their compliance issues, side‐effects, and what it was like living with Parkinson’s


Disease with the students. Following these workshops a survey of all four years of students was undertaken to inform the success, or otherwise, of this initiative against the objectives set. The objectives were:

1. To support students in the development of effective communication skills

2. To enhance the empathetic qualities of pharmacy students when dealing with patients, their carers and other service users

3. To help consolidate students’ clinical knowledge with practice

4. To create pharmacists who understand the medication journey and realise the importance of consulting patients when formulating care pathways

SurveyMonkey® was used and the students had to rate their agreement with seven questions on a Likert scale, and then there was a final open question for comments. The responses to this survey were very pleasing. There was a 61% response rate to the survey, with representation across all four years of the course. There was strong agreement with all statements, giving clear evidence of the objectives of the PPI workshops being met. There are plans to further develop the PPI initiative with representation from an arthritis patient. All groups who have participated to date have been presented with tokens of appreciation and travel expenses. The PPI Lead of the Public Health Agency (West) is now a member of the Pharmacy Employers and other Stakeholders


Liaison Committee (PESLC), to broaden the remit of the committee to include stakeholders with a patient’s perspective.

25. gains first‐hand structured experience of practice, including contact with patients and practitioners of other healthcare professions.

The documentation stated that within the modules PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, PHA703 PHARMACY

PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS

3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) there are supervised placements in hospitals and community pharmacies to reinforce the learning experience. Placements have been agreed with approximately 130 community pharmacies, over 20% of the community pharmacies within Northern Ireland. To date contractors and employee pharmacists have been willing to provide this service on a voluntary basis, and, indeed, it would appear that they are pleased to be able to do so. Hospital placements have been secured through the teacher practitioner network. These placements provide the students with contact with patients and other healthcare professionals. Half day industry placements are provided in association with PHA320 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS in Level 5. These take place at Nicobrand and/or Norbrook Laboratories, and afford the students an opportunity to observe the analytical equipment they are using in the practical laboratories being utilised within a full‐scale pharmaceutical industry. The students also meet with the personnel involved in these industries, and can begin to realise the opportunities for pharmacists beyond the traditional community and hospital.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team agreed that the School had organized a comprehensive placement provision. During the meetings the team was informed about placement provision within a community pharmacy multiple that held a prison contract; feedback from this placement had been very positive had had led to a research project on the use of benzodiazepines in prisons. In the final year elective on pharmacy in the Republic of Ireland the School has organize for students undertaking this elective to have placement experience in a community pharmacy group in the Dublin area. The team was told that the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer delivers a lecture on Transforming Your Care (the current DHSSPS strategy document). This criterion is met


There is also a half day wholesaler placement, also in Level 5, during PHA305 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 which reinforces the Misuse of Drugs Act and Misuse of Drugs NI 2002 legislation and the principles of Good Distribution Practice that applies to wholesalers. The placement experience in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 is a general overview of pharmaceutical service provision, with subsequent placements developing this where students will interact with patients and other healthcare professionals providing advice on medicines and their usage, reinforcing learning on the course. In addition, in Level 7 in PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE the students have placement opportunities with HSC Medicines Management Advisers and evaluate prescribing within a medical and non‐medical context. Portfolios and workbooks have been established for these supervised placements, to ensure that both the student and the placement supervisor know the desired learning outcomes from each placement.

26. is required to communicate with individuals and audiences.

In almost all modules, there is coursework where the students are required to communicate with individuals and audiences. The students will interact with patients and other healthcare professionals during placements in the modules PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (AY 2011/12), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

THERAPEUTICS 3 (AY 2012/13 onwards) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards). As part of the Level 6 hospital placement, students develop and present pharmaceutical care plans on actual patients to their

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. Students interviewed were able to speak clearly and confidently to the accreditation team. As indicated in the commentary to Criterion #8 above, the team was told that in the Year 2 placement students are given feedback on their communication skills based on a minor ailments consultation session. Students interviewed referred to the invaluable experience of vacation work in pharmacies as providing opportunities to communicate with patients. In the teaching relating to medical history taking, the importance of language and terminology is discussed.


peer group and tutors, and within the Level 7 hospital placement the students carry out an audit and present this orally to their peer group and tutors. In PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 and PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2 the students are required to present their completed CPD cycle(s) to the rest of the student group. Also within PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 the students present a poster that they have worked on in a group on an element of the profession of pharmacy. In many of the modules, some continuous assessments are carried out in groups where the students are expected to communicate with each other. Many of the practical classes involve working in small groups, communicating with each other and the demonstrators. PowerPoint® presentations are also part of the continuous assessment where the students will give presentations to local audiences. Video recording and playback is incorporated into the role‐playing exercises in the PHARMACY PRACTICE practical classes, where students are responding to symptoms and dealing with over‐the‐counter requests. This interaction is viewed by the rest of the module group in real time in an adjacent laboratory, while playback facilitates learning and development. In PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2, students are required to deliver an oral presentation during a mini symposium with an audience of both staff and peers. This presentation is based on a specific case study the student has researched in a small group under the designation ‘integrating chemistry in practice’. The presentation is assessed on both content and delivery by both science and practice staff.

This criterion is met


In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY as part of their coursework, students are expected to prepare a PowerPoint® presentation on an emerging cancer chemotherapeutic drug and delivery this presentation to fellow students and staff. Students also present their coursework or research work to an audience as an oral presentation within the PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT, and within a number of other modules they may undertake other presentations.

27. is instructed in the use of, and required to apply, library and other information resources.

The documentation stated that the University provides a complete progressive programme for library use for students from Level 4 to Level 7. This is arranged as a subject‐specific induction, and includes a basic induction for library and IT resources at the start of Level 4. This is further elaborated on by providing an example of an essay topic and being shown how to source and use information available to answer the question, before being given an opportunity to have a hands‐on practice. This experience is provided in PHA102 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 1. The programme provides progressively more complex information through subsequent levels. In addition to this there is an on‐line Library Induction Module available which includes questions that check student understanding, and the students will be encouraged to avail of this service. A further on‐line Information Skills module is available for those students who have knowledge of basic library induction but require more in‐depth knowledge for assignments and projects. All modules will require students to prepare assignments and coursework activities which will require them to use the information resources available, such as PCCAL packages or the BP online.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. Students interviewed from the later years of the programme told the team that initially the lack of an adequate stock of pharmacy books in the library had been a problem but now this had been resolved; students from the earlier years concurred with this view. This criterion is met


In PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA102 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2, students must access the BP online and identify appropriate assay methods and specification ranges for certain drugs or excipients. In PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 students use the titrimetry package on PCCAL to practice volumetric titration calculations and be introduced to conversion factors etc. In PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT students undertake practical classes in molecular modelling, QSAR and Molecular Libraries that utilise information resources. During the BMS103 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY tutorials, students are introduced to the use and format of the BNF, including the BNF online, and they use this resource throughout these tutorials and their practice and clinical modules. In PHARMACY PRACTICE modules the students need to develop and use formularies, guidelines, protocols, prescribing data, drug usage review, and pharmacovigilance systems and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) statistical information in their application to public health. In PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY, students are required to maintain a laboratory notebook which will allow them to practise the recording of data during an active laboratory session then to analyse and evaluate their data using appropriate references. In PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (AY2011/12) and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN (AY 2012/13 onwards) students are required to record the detailed formulation methods of extemporaneous preparations after consulting appropriate compendium references.


In PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY, the students are required to undertake a mini project. As a level 6 module, limited information will be supplied and the students will be required to research, design and plan the work load for the project to take place. They will be reliant on the BP and library services as well as their previous years’ information. In PHA504 PHARMACOKINETICS (AY 2011/12 only) and PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 students use CAL packages to facilitate their understanding of the topic and enable them to interpret and analyse pharmacokinetic data. The packages used are Introductory Pharmacokinetics, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetic Simulations. The students are expected to complete assessed exercises based on the information in those packages. In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE students will develop critical appraisal skills and learn how to interpret evidence‐based medicines information. They will utilise and analyse prescribing data from key sources. In PHA311 AND PHA312 cLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 AND 2, PHA508 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 1 (2011/12), PHA513 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 3 (2012/13 onwards), PHA702 APPLIED CLINICAL PHARMACY 2 (AY 2012/13) and PHA720 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 4 (AY 2013/14 onwards) clinical guidelines are used as a basis for the learning of relevant therapeutics. In the PHA506 RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES and PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT modules, the students learn how to use scientific databases such as Web of Knowledge, PubMed and Science Direct to retrieve information from the scientific literature that is relevant to their project. Within PHA506 RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES there are two 2‐hour workshops in the


Learning Resource Centre on reference searching and the use of Refworks®. During tutorials in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 the students are introduced to Turnitin®, the plagiarism software utilised by Ulster. The School plagiarism officer delivers a talk on what plagiarism is and how it is detected, and this is supported by the academic staff delivering the tutorial with some examples. The students are then asked to submit their formative assessment in this module through Turnitin and they receive the plagiarism report back with feedback from academic staff. This provides the student with an understanding of what plagiarism is in relation to information resources, how it is detected, and thereby how to ensure they do not commit it. The use of the plagiarism detection software continues throughout the four years of the MPharm. In PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 and PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY students are provided with and urged to use a list of scientific and patent databases. In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY, students are expected to exploit the provided databases in order to prepare an oral presentation on aspects relating to the current status of a chosen cancer chemotherapeutic drug. A growing number of the required reading texts are available as online e‐books, where the students are directed in the accessibility of these resources.

28. is required to apply routinely, word‐processing, spreadsheet, database, e‐mail and information retrieval computer applications.

The documentation stated that students are required to apply routinely, word‐processing, spreadsheet, database, email and information retrieval computer applications throughout the course of study of the proposed MPharm. They will use email to communicate with module



coordinators, with all communications regarding module administration being sent by email. Communication with study advisers and other academic staff and students will also be expected by email. The students also need to use the Blackboard Learn and the online Personal Development Plan (PDP) on a regular basis as part of the learning experience. In addition, lecture materials and assignments for Level 7 electives are delivered via the Blackboard Learn system. All module coursework will involve electronic preparation of reports on coursework activities and the use of IT resources to carry out literature surveys in selected topics efficiently. Examples include: In PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA102 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 the students submit a word‐processed group laboratory report which forms a significant portion of their coursework assessment. In these modules they also use the BP online to retrieve information pertaining to drugs such as specifications and assay procedures. In PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS the student uses Microsoft® Excel® to plot calibration graphs, determine the equation of lines and, from this, calculate the concentration of an unknown solution. In BMS103 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY, the students are provided with a CD at the beginning of term that contains self‐assessment exercises. In addition, they perform computer simulation exercises relevant to each practical and other computer exercises to record normal physiological events.


In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 and PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE

– SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, students use the CaseInteract® software as one of the learning resources for their responding to symptoms. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND

PRESCRIBING SCIENCE, and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN the students are required to use a software for printing labels for their proprietary and extemporaneous dispensing products.

29. has brought to his/her attention the continuing professional development opportunities open to practising pharmacists.

The documentation stated that students are encouraged to engage in and record CPD activity throughout the programme. An introduction to the requirement and importance of CPD, and the requirements of Fitness to Practise, is provided in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, and is further developed throughout the pharmacy practice modules. In PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, students are also be given information on the role of NICPLD and the differences between CPD and continuing education, and again this is revisited throughout the programme. Throughout all four years of the programme the students must complete CPD cycles which are submitted as coursework, in addition to being presented orally to their peers. This is described fully in outcomes criterion 7. Links with the British Pharmaceutical Students Association (BPSA) provides students with opportunities to participate in targeted undergraduate conferences and competitions. In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE the importance of CPD and life‐long learning is discussed in the context of the legal, professional and ethical aspects of non‐

On the basis of the submitted documentation, the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. As covered in the commentary to Criterion #7 above, both staff and students cited the placements as critical and useful in providing a basis for student involvement in developing skills for future continuing professional development (CPD). One of the community pharmacy placement tutors told the team that he adopted a questioning approach with his tutees, trying to get them to think through a process logically before answering. Students interviewed told the team that by final year they were used to undertaking CPD and felt as prepared as they possibly could be for using it in their future professional lives. First year students described CPD as being extremely useful. This criterion is met


medical prescribing.

30. is made aware of the advantages of, and encouraged to undertake, employment or attachment for vacation experience in pharmacy practice.

The documentation stated that the Pharmacy Job Shop is an on‐going initiative between pharmacy contractors and Ulster's MPharm students. Links have been established between the course team and pharmacy employers in the region, through Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI), area managers for multiples, and mail‐shots to independent contractors (community); secondary care Heads of Pharmacy and Medicines Management in the Health Boards (hospital); and Norbrook Laboratories and Nicobrand Ltd. (industry), and Pharmaceutical wholesalers (AAH and Sangers). The links with these potential employers enable students to be made aware of part‐time and vacation employment in a timely manner to facilitate application and subsequent employment. Students are informed of all vacancies by email and a designated notice board exists within the Department on which such vacancies are posted, and which has become a focus point for students wishing to seek part‐time or vacation employment. Several students have successfully gained employment by this method to date. In addition, the students are made aware of the summer vacation programmes within multiples such as Boots, Lloyds and Gordons in semester 1. Information is provided on the schemes available, deadlines for applications, and recruitment procedures. Several students have been offered summer employment through these schemes. Communications which are received from mainland employers, including NHS, for vacation experience are placed on the Job Shop notice board on receipt, in addition to being

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. As indicated in the commentary to Criterion #8 above, students interviewed referred to the invaluable experience of vacation work in pharmacies as providing opportunities to communicate with patients. The team was told that all final year students had obtained pre‐registration training places. This criterion is met


emailed to the students. There is also a Job Shop folder within the MPharm course support area on Blackboard Learn into which electronic versions of information received is uploaded. .

31. Is encouraged to seek networking opportunities in professional pharmacy organisations.

The documentation stated that the Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Course Director and student advisers will primarily be responsible for this, and will do so through inductions and adviser‐advisee meetings. All staff members have an appreciation of the importance of leading by example. The roles of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and the Pharmaceutical Forum are introduced in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1. Members of staff of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland contribute to the delivery of this part of the module. In addition, within this module, there are presentations from representatives from the Ulster Chemists Association (UCA) and Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI). Membership of the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association is facilitated by signposting and an awareness of the role, structure and advantages of the Association, also in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1. The course has a BPSA representative who is in contact regularly with the co‐ordinator for this area. While activities of the BPSA have been quiet since the restructuring of the Society, the School maintains contact through the BPSA representative. Communication and awareness of these groups is strengthened by ensuring that all students and staff are



aware of meetings by appropriate sign posting.

The degree course... Criteria Provider’s response Accreditation team’s commentary 32. is planned with reference to the

indicative syllabus at Appendix 1 and as an integrated programme. This means that the inter‐relationships of its component parts are considered and made explicit,

The documentation stated that the course has been designed to provide basic training in core sciences and practice areas in early levels to enable a fuller appreciation of more advanced and discipline‐specific pharmacy modules studied in subsequent levels. The importance of understanding pathophysiological processes, chemical structures of drugs, mechanisms of drug action, biochemical pathways and cellular biology is vital when applying rational pharmacotherapeutic and evidence‐based decision‐making in the treatment of disease. The MPharm course has been planned with reference to the indicative syllabus. There is a Head of Science and Head of Practice, the former overseeing the science subjects such as chemistry, biological sciences and physical pharmacy/pharmaceutics and the latter overseeing the pharmacy practice and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics subjects. Together they ensure the horizontal (within years) and vertical integration (between years) of science and practice, with key areas revisited along the length of the programme but at greater levels of intellectual challenge. Module review meetings are held within the science and practice groups with a science member of the MPharm team attending practice meetings and a practice member/TP attending the science meetings. This enables all pharmacy

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous accreditation visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team noted the comments from year 1 students that all the teaching is put into context. This criterion is met


staff to appreciate and contribute to the development of the links between practice and science. A standing item on the agenda of each meeting is the integration of science and practice. In addition, the School also hosts an annual “Molecule to Man” away day when all staff attend a workshop specifically designed to identify areas where the integration of pharmaceutical science and practice can be further developed throughout the programme, and again, enables all pharmacy staff to appreciate and contribute to this development. The 2012 away day led to a strategy which puts the School’s integration of science and practice into a more formal, explicit setting. The strategy adopts two approaches to be taken in conjunction with the existing processes detailed above ‐ one at module level and one at programme level: • On an individual module level, each module co‐ordinator

provides information where the pharmaceutical science and practice are integrated within his/her module, with specific examples. This appears within the Teaching and Learning section of each module descriptor in which this integration can be found. For example, within PHA102 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2, the students work on simple case studies with the specific aim of integrating science into practice. These case studies were developed jointly by the science academic staff and teacher practitioner.

• At a programme level it was decided that certain well‐known medicinal products would be highlighted throughout all years of the course and in as many relevant modules as possible, so integrating the teaching of these medicinal products within both science and practice frameworks. The students will become familiar with these products, taking them specifically from the


chemical molecule, through formulation into dosage forms with appropriate pharmacokinetics, to their final roles as therapeutic agents with measureable clinical outcomes, recognising their integration within all teaching disciplines. This initiative has been named ‘The Story of….’, and the course team will develop these ‘Stories’, expanding them to include other medicinal products. The initial medicinal products chosen were aspirin, paracetamol, lidocaine and digoxin.

The 2013 ‘Away Day’ led to further development of ‘The Story of….’, with amendments made to existing stories. In addition to the ‘Story of…’ the 2013 ‘Away Day’ led to discussions on how effective case studies can be to integrate science and practice. Within PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2, the pharmacy students currently complete case studies which integrate science and practice in relation to pharmacy. These case studies are orally presented to staff and their peers by the students as an element of assessment. They are recognised by the academic team as a very effective way of integrating science and practice and so discussions took place as to how this idea could be developed further. PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGIES will incorporate a mini project this AY as part of the assessment. This will include the featured ‘Story of…’ drugs paracetamol and aspirin. Following discussions amongst the academic team it was agreed that these projects would be developed in line with the case studies by incorporating a patient case as an introduction to the project. The project synopsis will now include a case study involving paracetamol or aspirin from which the students need to determine the most appropriate formulation and dose required. Once the appropriate product is determined, the student will synthesise, purify, and formulate the


medicinal product. The course team then discussed possible ongoing developments within the case study strategy and it was decided that: • Within the mini projects in PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL

TECHNOLOGIES a final QA step will be introduced next academic year, to reflect the practice of pharmacy within industry

• Within the presentations completed as part of the placement assessments within PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE, SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, which discuss products on abdominal and respiratory health issues, students will be expected to incorporate information on structure, pharmacology and receptor interactions

The course team is confident that while the current course structure and procedures securely define and integrate the relationship between science and practice, future developments as outlined above will strengthen further this integration.

33. seeks to develop students' skills of self‐management, team‐working and peer assessment,

The documentation stated that students' skills of self‐management will be developed through the regular use of CPD and directed learning activities throughout the MPharm programme, both during campus‐based activities and during placements. Team‐working skills will be developed through the practical group work incorporated in almost all modules, and peer assessment will also be incorporated within the curriculum, wherever appropriate. In PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, team working is required for the preparation and presentation of posters. There is also team working through interprofessional learning and on

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. This criterion is met


placement as part of a pharmacy team. Peer assessment is introduced in PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL

CHEMISTRY 1 and PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 during practical classes, where the students assess each other on their contribution to undertaking an experiment and its subsequent write up. In PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS, the students are divided into groups of three and each group is asked to submit a jointly designed and produced item of coursework which involves an essay (2000 words), complete with references, on a particular analytical technique and its application in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science. Each student covers one area of the principles, instrumentation or applications in pharmacy, on the particular analytical technique, coming together to produce a ‘united’ electronic submission. In PHA307 PHYSICAL PHARMACY, the students are required to work in small groups to gather information and share this information with the larger class thus producing a report containing a significant amount of data. Within the Responding to Symptoms practical classes in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 and PHA504 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS peer assessment is integral in the scenarios presented with students working in groups of three and assessing each other’s performance as a potential pharmacist. In one component of the coursework for PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1 students work in groups to complete a medicines usage review (MUR), which is then peer assessed.


In the Level 6 hospital placement, students work in pairs to synthesise pharmaceutical care plans (PCPs). The completed PCPs are presented to the peer group by each student pair. In PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY as part of their coursework, students are expected to prepare a PowerPoint® presentation on an emerging cancer chemotherapeutic drug and delivery this presentation to fellow students and staff. During this exercise students work in pairs and they prepare an integrated presentation dealing with separate aspects of the chosen chemotherapeutic agent. The presentation is assessed by both students and staff with 20% of the marking allocated to peer assessment. In PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY, the practical element of this module contains a six week ‘mini project’ where by students are expected to design and execute a project which will result in the production of a valid dosage form for a specific patient. They prepare the dosage form beginning with the synthesis all the way through to formulation. Each student makes part of a four strong team and a proportion of their result is peer reviewed. In PHA704 PHARMACY PRACTICE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, the students work in groups to develop a new business venture.

34. has the features of positioning knowledge, understanding and skills in a pharmaceutical context and with reference to pharmacy practice,

The documentation stated that the supervised placements in community, hospitals and industries, as well as the uptake of the Pharmacy Job Shop, enables the students to position their knowledge, understanding and skills to the practice of pharmacy. The involvement of visiting lecturers, who are practising pharmacists, and the recruitment onto teaching



staff of pharmacists from a practice background, also ensures that the taught knowledge and skills are delivered contextually with practice. The course team regularly reviews and develops the curriculum, with input from the teacher‐practitioners in addition to the academic staff. The input from both the community and hospital teacher practitioners is important in this area. Many of the pharmacists within the academic staff continue with their practical application during locums or regular commitments, and, as such, their knowledge and experience of pharmacy practice remains current. This knowledge ensures that during course team meetings and the annual ‘Away Day’ event, the scientists within the academic team are aware of the pharmacy context and can therefore orientate their teaching to an audience who are training to be pharmacist. The PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT (practice‐based only) also facilitates this application of knowledge to practice relevance.

35. in the processes of curriculum review and development, benefits from the academic staff properly taking account of major advances and developments potentially impacting on pharmacy,

The documentation stated that the course team regularly reviews and develops the curriculum, with input from the teacher practitioners in addition to the academic staff. The input from both the community and hospital teacher practitioners is important in this area. Many of the pharmacists within the academic staff continue with their practical application during locums or regular commitments, and, as such, their knowledge and experience of pharmacy developments remains current. Several pharmacist members of academic staff hold positions on committees within the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI), so are involved in future developments and



consultations being discussed. Examples are a member of the Open Health Group, developing Connecting for Health strategy, mobile technologies and telemedicine, a voting member of the HSCB Pharmacy Practice Committee and a registrant member of the PSNI Fitness to practice scrutiny committee, a committee member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland Education Committee and Revalidation Task Force, in addition to being on the Pharmacy Alliance for Health Promotion working group (Public Health Agency and Health and Social Care Board). A formal review will take place every four years as part of the University’s policy of revalidation of its courses. The Pharmacy Employers and Stakeholders Liaison Committee, established for the inception of the MPharm, continues to ensure that the course team keep their knowledge updated with regard to developments within the healthcare infrastructure. This committee has been expanded to include representation from a patient perspective, and the PPI Lead for the Western Area of the Public Health Agency is now a member. The staff, mainly by attending various seminars, symposiums or conferences such as the Health Services Research and Pharmacy Practice Conference, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), the PSNI, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society World Congress, the International Conference on Nanotechnology in Medicine, the British Pharmacological Society, and consulting pharmacy‐related literature, keeps its knowledge updated with regard to the advances and developments that may potentially impact on pharmacy. Subscriptions have been placed with The Pharmaceutical


Journal, The Irish Pharmaceutical Journal and local pharmacy magazines (Ulster Chemists Review), in addition to many on‐line subscriptions for electronic journals. This ensures that staff have available to them the most up‐to‐date information available. In the PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY module the module coordinator uses aspects of and recent published materials from their own research programme to illustrate novel therapeutic approaches in terms of site‐directed or targeted enhancement of the action of cancer chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, components from research programs are also integrated into some of the practical elements for this module including tissue culture techniques, cell viability assays and assessing cancer chemotherapeutic and PDT agents. The same may be said for the projects offered for the PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT module. In the PHA508 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT module in final year, the students are kept informed of recent advances in the development of new medicines, and how current drug discovery techniques and pharmacogenomics may lead to personalised medicines in the years ahead. The new PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY has been developed to include an extended lecture series. This covers topics such as advances in ocular drug delivery, written and delivered by a renowned professor of personalised medicine and avid researcher in ocular delivery within the University. Also included are additional lectures on transdermal drug delivery systems and wound dressings drawing on the research interests and expertise in house.

36. features a variety of approaches to The documentation stated that the School of Pharmacy and The accreditation team noted that the pass mark in the


achieving and assessing learning appropriate to its stated objectives, including lectures, practical classes, seminars, workshops, tutorials, computer‐based/ aided learning, clinical visits, problem‐solving exercises, essays, projects, dissertations and other assignments, and examinations,

Pharmaceutical Sciences delivers a diverse, but structured, programme of teaching, learning and assessment, enabling students to develop knowledge, skills and understanding of their chosen subject. The diverse learning experience encourages students to become active and motivated learners, who can seek information, question and analyse its validity and draw appropriate and logical conclusions. A wide variety of teaching, learning and assessment strategies are utilised in the suite of modules in order to meet the learning outcomes and progressively develop key transferable and lifelong learning skills throughout the degree programme. All students receive, at the start of each academic year, course handbooks describing the organisation of teaching, learning and assessment and the arrangements for the submission of assignments. The MPharm Course team plans the programme in a way that it features a variety of approaches to achieving and assessing learning appropriate to its stated objectives, including lectures, practical classes, seminars, workshops, tutorials, computer‐based/aided learning, clinical visits, problem‐solving exercises, essays, projects, dissertations and other assignments, and examinations. Camtasia® software has been utilised as an online resource within the PHARMACY PRACTICE modules. It provides for feedback, formative assessments and self‐checking of main learning principles for the students. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE

– SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, students develop a range of skills for communicating effectively in the healthcare setting. Students undertake Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) which will assess how students effectively communicate with patients in consultations and responding to symptoms. The

final year was 50% and it was confirmed that, as a result, the University did not award third class honours degrees for the MPharm. The team was particularly interested to note that students and staff reported that peer assessment was regarded as a positive and useful experience and that it helped develop listening and presentation skills. The presentation indicated that assessments must include module assessments that are challenging, aligned with the FHEQ qualification level and meet the learning outcomes at that level, should include fair formative and summative assessments, be assessed by a combination of examination and coursework, be moderated appropriately, and deliver repeatable and accurate judgments. All modules must be passed and all core modules (mainly professional modules) cannot be carried. The team noted that overall there has been a very high average mark for modules even though the entry grades of students were unexceptional. Despite this, comments from external examiners were generally positive. The School presented a histogram of average marks in modules over the years that the programme has been running; this showed that high marks in the initial running of the introductory chemistry module had not been followed up by high marks in the more demanding subsequent chemistry module. This had led the School to consider that the introductory module had not prepared students adequately for the more demanding module. As a result the demands of the early module have been increased with accompanying lower average marks. The team was told that the University policy is to investigate modules in which there is greater than a 15% fail rate and those with a greater than 80% average mark. The team


marking criteria developed for assessing the communication skills in the Responding to Symptoms OSCEs, was informed and developed by researching the various approaches used by other schools of pharmacy. One study, by Bell et al (2007)2 resulted in the production of 7 criteria considered as a valid measure of communication skills in pharmacy students that can be reliably assessed. These criteria were incorporated into the Responding to Symptoms OSCEs marking criteria which, alongside assessing students’ communication skills, were also developed to assess the students’ ability to take an accurate medication history, make a diagnosis and provide a suitable pharmaceutical product, if appropriate, with suitable advice. The marking criteria developed was evaluated by the pharmacists on academic staff, by the community teaching‐practitioner, and by community pharmacist representatives on the Pharmacy Employer’s Liaison Committee. For computer‐based learning, appropriate PCCAL packages feature within module delivery for several topics, including PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1, PHA312 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2, PHA103 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 1, PHA101 PHARMACEUTICAL

CHEMISTRY 2, and PHA504 PHARMACOKINETICS (latter AY 2011/12 only). In PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT in addition to PCCAL, computer based packages are used in molecular modelling, QSAR and Molecular Libraries practicals. CaseInteract® software is used for Responding to Symptoms in both PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY

PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, and the McLernons Medical Record Systems for dispensing in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, PHA514

noted that one of the Year 1 modules taken by students on several degree courses was routinely above 80% but it was explained that the figures represented the marks gained by the MPharm students and that the overall module average for all students was lower than this. Overall, the team agreed that there was evident uncertainty about module performance, but was reassured by the School’s review of modules to identify over‐ or under‐performance The team was particularly concerned that the School ensure that there would be no reduction in challenge of modules to improve pass rates. The School confirmed that it plans to introduce more pass/fail marking in tests of competencies, e.g. in OSCEs (see below) and that assessments are constantly monitored to ensure that they are linked to the module learning outcomes. The accreditation team noted the recommendation of the Step 6 accreditation visit, namely “that the Department should review its assessment processes associated with dispensing competencies to ensure that the test is valid and reliable”. In addition, the current accreditation team found confusing the use of the tem OSCE to describe what appeared to be a scenario‐based timed assessment in a dispensing test in which students take medication histories. However, the team was reassured by a comprehensive response from the Northern Ireland Lead teacher‐practitioner on future plans for the development of OSCEs, including blueprinting, pilot studies with pre‐registration trainees and the increase in the number of stations to 12 including high risk assessments. Teaching staff agreed that the above should be embedded into future assessment strategy. Overall, the team agreed that

2 Bell D, Mackellar A and Ashcroft D (2007). A study to develop and test a new method of assessment of communication skills of pharmacy undergraduate students; the patient as the assessor. Learning from Innovation in Pharmacy Education, Pharmacy Practice Research Trust.


DOSAGE FORM DESIGN and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND

PRESCRIBING SCIENCE. Respondus® software has been incorporated into the PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 and PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS modules for summative assessments incorporating MCQs and case scenarios, available to the students on Blackboard Learn. The assessments relating to placement require the student to have discussions with their placement tutor, technicians and shop assistants as well as utilise a variety of DHSSPSNI sites such as the Public Health Agency and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Students also use the standard statistical package SPSS® during their PHA506 METHODOLOGIES IN PHARMACY RESEARCH and PHA801 RESEARCH PROJECT modules. The QSR NVivo® package for qualitative data is also available to be used by students undertaking qualitative projects. In addition the course team are incorporating as many online reading resources as possible, e.g. BP Online, PJ Online. For further details, please consult the module descriptions.

there was adequate assessment of dispensing in Year 4.

37. includes significant staff‐led or supervised time devoted to the topics of pharmacy law and professional requirements, and their applications in practice, this being in addition to the assimilation of legal and professional requirements into a substantial proportion of a dispensing practical course.

The documentation stated that this issue has been addressed in the modules PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND

PRESCRIBING SCIENCE. In PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 the sessional written examination is law‐based, and in PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS students learn about the ethical principles and standards required in pharmacy practice. They also develop a professional decision‐



making strategy and the sessional exam poses various ethical dilemmas to students in which they need to apply their knowledge of relevant legislation and ethics in order to come to a rational decision. Within PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS students engaged in a lively and spirited debate, the motion of which was ‘This House believes that the sale and supply of Complementary and Alternative Medicines by Community Pharmacists is supported by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland’s Code of Ethics’. The debate required students to demonstrate a clear understanding and application of the obligations of pharmacists within the code of ethics. In PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE the student undertakes an assessment of relevant changes in legal and professional requirements since their course started. The resulting student will be cognisant of the broad legal and ethical frameworks in which the profession of pharmacy is practised. In addition, the elective PHA707 PHARMACY PRACTICE IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND provides students with an understanding of the legislative and practice requirements relating to the practice of pharmacy in the Republic of Ireland.

38. where appropriate and possible, has the student taught and learning alongside and together with students of other healthcare professions,

The documentation stated that the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences is committed to developing opportunities for inter‐professional learning (IPL) and has IPL outcomes that inform curriculum planning. In the Level 4 modules of BMS103 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY, BMS104 MEDICAL CELL BIOLOGY and BMS102 BIOCHEMISTRY, and in Level 5 PHA301 MICROBIOLOGY FOR

PHARMACY STUDENTS and PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND

The accreditation team agreed that the School’s use of the term Interprofessional Education (IPE) was inappropriate to describe the co‐teaching with biomedical science, optometry, nutrition, and pharmacology in the early years of the programme. The team did not regard such formal common teaching as representing IPE. Neither did the team regard the contact with other healthcare professionals during placements, no matter how valuable in individual cases, as representing a structured form of


THERAPEUTICS 1, MPharm students are taught alongside dietetics, optometry, biomedical sciences and pharmacology undergraduate students in multiprofessional learning. MPharm students are involved in a structured IPL programme within Ulster to include students from Pharmacy, Nursing, Optometry, Dietetics, Nutrition and Biomedical Science. The aim of the programme is to embed IPL into the course, to ensure that students do not learn in isolation, learn to work collaboratively, respect the integrity and contribution of others, and thereby, work to improve the quality of patient care. The third School of Biomedical Science inter‐professional learning workshop was held on the 20th February 2013. Students from Optometry, Biomedical Sciences, Dietetics and Nursing joined the Level 4 Pharmacy students for an afternoon of interaction that would not usually happen at this stage of an undergraduate programme. The aim of the session was to permit students to discuss the roles and practices of each healthcare professions present and to identify the input that each profession has in the patient journey. The students were assigned places at tables with a mixture of other professions. The session was structured around a series of short presentations, inter‐linked with quiz rounds. Posters were displayed that had been designed and developed by each undergraduate cohort as part of their study skills programme in the first semester. These posters were on various topics relating to their chosen profession, and pharmacy titles included ‘The role of the Hospital Pharmacist’, ‘The role of the Industrial Pharmacist’, ‘CPD’ and ‘The student Code of Conduct’. Level 5 students undertook further inter‐professional learning

IPE/IPL. However, the team did acknowledge that what the School categorized as interprofessional learning (IPL) consisting of mixed healthcare groups of students undertaking presentations, poster presentations and quizzes in Year 1, the application of clinical laboratory tests to patient scenarios with biomedical science and pharmacology students in Year 2, and effective prescribing sessions with optometry students in Year 4, were appropriate. In the meeting with the teaching staff, staff also described an IPL workshop on injectable medicines with nursing students. Both staff and students interviewed referred to the different roles taken up by the students of the two professions with the nurses adopting a practical role while the pharmacy students were more involved with the theory. Students interviewed told the team that the IPL sessions had changed their views of and attitudes towards the other professions involved. Students were also aware of the need to develop the skills necessary to communicate with other professionals as well as with patients. The IPL sessions are not assessed but were described as adding an extra layer to the students’ experience. Overall, the accreditation team agreed that there was a lack of clarity in the area of IPE/IPL and would remind the School that the new education standards require a robust IPE/IPL strategy that increases year on year throughout the programme.


in PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 1. They studied this module with Biology, Biomedical Science and Pharmacology students from the School of Biomedical Sciences. During the module they took part in a series of tutorials that applied the principles of clinical laboratory tests to patient case scenarios. Students worked in multi‐professional groups, each student bringing their professional perspective to the task. Level 7 students will participate in an interprofessional learning forum in week 11 of semester two with final year Optometry students. This will take the form of a problem‐solving exercise on the topic of ‘Effective prescribing’ with specific emphasis on therapeutic communication and clinical decision making. The ongoing strategy for the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in relation to IPL will be to embed it into the programme whenever possible and appropriate for the students, to enhance their learning experiences. This may be with one other professional group or several, depending on the subject matter. Within PHA704 PHARMACY PRACTICE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, nutrition lectures are provided by a lecturer from Food and Nutrition, and IPL with dietetic students working on case studies is the next planned development in this area. During placements students have opportunities to meet, learn from, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals, from general practitioners and community nurses in primary care, to hospital consultants and allied health professionals in secondary care.

39. has pharmacy undergraduate teaching taking place alongside and with

Pharmacy/pharmaceutical‐based research are currently well established within the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed


reference to research and other postgraduate activities.

(BMSRI). The majority of staff members within the School are research‐active and eligible for inclusion in the forthcoming Research Excellence Framework. Also, newly appointed staff will be encouraged to engage in research and postgraduate research student supervision. A Pharmaceutical Science and Practice Research Group has been created to facilitate research and to ensure that the teaching of the MPharm is research‐based and ‐driven. The School research seminars occur frequently and are publicised to staff, PhD students and undergraduate students (including pharmacy students). At these, a series of guest speakers deliver seminars on their areas of research and research findings. Postgraduate research students are involved during the supervision of coursework sessions and help supervise research projects. New pharmacy practice‐oriented staff members are strongly encouraged to pursue rigorous pharmacy practice research, which is of sufficient calibre to be returned in future research assessment exercises or frameworks. To facilitate this the Pharmacy Academic Practice Research Group was established in collaboration with the Western Health and Social Care Trust and is headed by a Lead Pharmacist – Clinical Trials and Research), who was appointed by the Western Trust, and includes two days a week within the School at Ulster, working closely with the practice team on areas of practice research. For laboratory‐based research projects, in many cases students will work alongside experienced postgraduate research students, technical staff and postdoctoral workers.

that this criterion is met. This criterion is met


Structures Criteria Provider’s response Accreditation team’s commentary


40. For its proper ethos, quality assurance, and scientific and professional leadership, the degree course is within the control of, and predominantly delivered by, an autonomous school or department of pharmacy,

The documentation stated that Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences became an autonomous School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in November 2012. Prof Paul McCarron is Head of this School, providing scientific, professional and managerial leadership. The School remains within the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences. The School of is responsible for the delivery of the MPharm.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The accreditation team was pleased to learn that the pharmacy provision had achieved independent School status in the University. The team was told that the new status carried with it the responsibility of setting up a committee structure with a School Board, along with Teaching & learning, Executive and Health & Safety Committees. In fact, due to the relatively small number of academic staff, the School has encompassed the Teaching & Learning and Subject Committees within the School Board. The new status has also required that there be School representation on Faculty of Life and Health Sciences committees, with the result that every member of staff has been assigned to such a committee. This criterion is met

41. accommodation, human, equipment, and other resources available to the school or department of pharmacy are sufficient for the effective delivery of the planned degree course to the numbers of students in each year of the degree course, and overall; properly taking account of the teaching, research and other commitments of the unit,

The documentation stated that accommodation, human, equipment and other resources are believed by the Course Committee to be adequate for the delivery of the MPharm programme at 35 students per level of the programme. Increases in student numbers would require additional human and consumable resources.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team noted that the previous Head of Department was now designated as Head of School and that there had been a promotion to an endowed chair in the School; this had released a position for a new appointment in the School. The team was told of two new appointees that would be taking up their positions in the near future, one to replace the new chair and the other to replace a staff member that had left to take up a hospital teacher‐practitioner position. Both new appointments were said to be in a position to be included


in the forthcoming REF exercise. The Dean told the team that the underwriting of the pharmacy degree by the SAAD organization was still extant. She also told the team that the Faculty had recently been re‐structured through a voluntary redundancy scheme but that the School of Pharmacy had been exempted from this scheme in order to retain its ring‐fencing. She confirmed that staff leaving the School would be immediately replaced as had occurred already within the last academic year. Teaching staff, including full‐time, part‐time and teacher‐practitioner staff, told the team that they felt well supported in their roles; they described regular meetings at all levels, and access to all the training and development courses provided by the University. New or early career staff described being able to undertake the University PGCertHE courses. Part‐time staff members are required to take one module of the PGCertHE but one member of staff told the team that he intended to undertake all 3 modules and was being supported to do so by the School. Students interviewed were of the view that the School could benefit from more computers and bigger and better classrooms which were described as getting tight for space as the student cohorts were increasing in size. This criterion is met


42. the school or department of pharmacy has an appropriately expert academic staff, including such in the practice of pharmacy.

The documentation stated that the current academic staff complement for the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is described in Section 4.2 and includes staff with a substantial proportion of the required expertise, including pharmacy practice, pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry. Of the total 9.25 FTEs who contribute to the MPharm, 4.7 (51%) are pharmacists; and 83% of staff hold PhDs. The remainder of academic staff who do not have PhDs are currently about to undertake them.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. See commentary to Criterion #41 above for additional details. This criterion is met

43. the school or department of pharmacy has within its academic staff at least one pharmacist who is a professor or of equivalent authority in the institution.

The documentation stated that The Head of School is a pharmacist who is a professor in pharmaceutics.

On the basis of the submitted documentation and the outcome of the Step 2 accreditation visit, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. This criterion is met

44. teacher‐practitioners and visiting lecturers from all of community, hospital and industrial pharmacy practice, and appropriate persons from other healthcare professions are involved in teaching/support for learning and assessment.

Teacher‐practitioners and visiting lecturers from community, hospital and industrial pharmacy practices will be involved in the delivery of the course. Visiting lecturers include: a senior clinical pharmacist from secondary care contributes to the delivery of pharmacokinetics in PHA504 PHARMACOKINETICS (AY 2011/12) and PHA311 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS

1 (AY 2011/12 onwards); a community pharmacist expert in complementary medicine delivers lectures in PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, and, along with an expert academic contributes to delivery of the elective on COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE, PHA706; a member of the medical profession, who is heavily involved in medical and dental training, and has acted as a GP prescribing adviser, delivers lectures on the duty of care of a pharmacist and professionalism, and responding to symptoms in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 and PHA503

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. The team was told that teacher‐practitioners from the Trusts are subject to the relevant Trust staff development policies and practices. Visiting lecturers were described as all being very experienced and that there is a University database with threshold standards relating to visiting teachers. Any new visiting teacher has a member of staff observing their teaching and determining any development needs. This criterion is met


PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS; Representatives from the PSNI deliver lectures on CPD, registration, pre‐registration, responsible pharmacist requirements in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2 and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCES; the Head of the DHSSPS Medicines Inspectorate for Northern Ireland, and Pharmacy Inspectors contribute to and deliver parts of the modules in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1, PHA306 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE on Pharmacy Law and Ethics, risk and SOPs; an industrial representative and a hospital pharmacist are visiting lecturers in PHA303 PHARMACEUTICAL STERILE PRODUCTS; industry representatives, lecture on QA/GMP/QC in PHA302 PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS and medical devices in PHA708 DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT; a consultant at Belfast City Hospital, delivers a lecture on genetic screening and diagnosis in PHA501 BIOMOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS AND

IMMUNOLOGY; the UU Equality and Diversity Officer, teaches equality and diversity issues within legislation of PHA306 PHARMACY PRACTICE 2; the Project Manager, Building Community Pharmacy Partnership, delivers a workshop on the BCPP initiative in the PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS module; the Director of Licensing and Qualified Person from Norbrook Laboratories Ltd delivers three lectures on stability and quality assurance in PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (AY 2011/12) and PHA515 PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY (AY 2012/13 onwards); a Tissue Viability Nurse, Northern Health and Social Care Board delivers a workshop on wound management in PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS; representatives from the Ulster Chemists Association and Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland talk to the students about their organisations in the PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1 module; a


consultant pharmacist from Belfast City Hospital, delivers lectures to students on radiopharmacy and radiopharmaceuticals in the PHA502 CHEMOTHERAPY module; specialist clinical pharmacists deliver lectures and seminars on their specialist areas, including rheumatology, renal, cardiovascular and diabetes; the Regional PPI Lead for the Public Health Agency, discusses the involvement of PPI in Health and Social Care in PHA102 PHARMACY PRACTICE 1; a pharmacist prescriber in Diabetes contributes to PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE to discuss the use of mobile technologies in pharmacist independent prescribing; Medicine Management Advisers from HSCNI introduce students to the role of medicines management with in Northern Ireland and outline the principles of measurement of prescribing performance in PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE; speaker from the Pharmaceutical Defence Association introduces students to the role of the PDA and clinical governance and risk evaluation. As the University is part of the teacher‐practitioner network within Northern Ireland, and an additional teacher‐practitioner was appointed into the network with Ulster’s involvement, the course team has access to a team of experienced teacher‐ practitioner clinical pharmacists who will deliver various clinical aspects of the course. Practising clinical pharmacists with a range of specialities (respiratory, cardiology etc.) bring the students to the ward on each hospital placement. The Level 4 placement includes a career talk with various specialist pharmacists inputting such as the Medicines Governance pharmacist and Research and Clinical Trials pharmacist. In Level 5, practising clinical pharmacists help


assess the students taking medication histories on the ward. Training is provided for the pharmacists to support them in carrying out this role. A hospital‐based Medicines Information Pharmacist facilitates the Medicines Information workshop during the Level 5 hospital placement. In addition, the Northern and Western Health and Social Care Trusts have expressed interest in their clinical and specialist pharmacists contributing to the MPharm delivery. These offers of support have been facilitated through the Pharmacy Employers and other Stakeholders Liaison Committee. Visiting lecturers, recognised by their peers as a subject expert in the material to be delivered, will be provided with academic guidance. The MPharm course at Ulster has established strong links with the wider profession. These links, and the support which the course has received from the wider profession, has enabled the Course Team to establish an extensive portfolio of student awards. Student awards are presented annually at a prize‐giving event to which sponsors and prize recipients and their families are invited.


45. the student has access to a personal tutor or tutors for academic guidance and pastoral care,

The documentation stated that the University policy is to assign an academic adviser to each student for the provision of guidance and pastoral care. Within Ulster this academic adviser is known as the ‘studies adviser’. All students in the MPharm programme have access to this studies adviser through the course of their study. The studies adviser will contact their advisee in the first instance, introduce themselves and arrange for the first meeting. Meetings are scheduled to take place in weeks 3 and 8 of both semesters of study in year 1, and, thereafter, in week 3 of each semester of study. Available times for the studies adviser meetings are incorporated into the timetable to facilitate the arrangement of these meetings.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. Students interviewed told the team that all members of staff were extremely accessible and operated an open door policy. Students said that they did not always need to use their personal tutors as individual teachers were available to deal with problems. They also commented on the advantages of having the teaching staff situated in the same building as the students, and of the small cohort sizes allowing 1:1 contact between teachers and students. The team was told that one problem identified from the submission relating to some student advisors not initiating meetings had been resolved. This criterion is met

46. there is an active staff‐student consultative committee,

The documentation stated that all UG and PG courses within the School of Biomedical Sciences have active staff‐student consultative committees (SSCC), which are composed of two class representatives from each level of study, and the Course Director. Within the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences this SSCC is a combined SSCC for the MPharm, BSc Pharmacology and MSc Pharmaceutical Science programmes, with the three Course Directors in attendance. The SSCC meets once a semester in advance of the Subject Committee Meeting, to which the class representatives are invited to the unreserved minutes. A standing item on the agenda of the Subject Committee Meetings is the minutes from the SSCC meeting. Three SSCC meetings were held as scheduled since Step 6 – one in second semester AY 2011/12, one in first semester AY.

On the basis of the submitted documentation, and the outcome of previous visits, the accreditation team agreed that this criterion is met. Students interviewed told the team that there were 2 meetings per semester of the SSCC and that each year of the MPharm elected 2 student representatives. The first meeting of the year was described as an informal discussion of the previous year’s issues and their resolution. This was followed up by formal meetings. Students reported that all issues had been dealt with by the School. Students also spoke of the module evaluation, again telling the team that everything that they raised was always dealt with. This criterion is met


47. pharmacy law, professional requirements and practice are taught ‐ predominantly by pharmacists ‐ from within the identifiable organisational unit which provides the bulk of teaching and other support for learning for the degree course.

The documentation stated that there are currently five pharmacists within the academic team, and this may increase with future planned appointments. This, together with the involvement the team from the Medicines Inspectorate and the teacher‐practitioners ensures that pharmacy law, professional requirements and practice are taught predominantly by pharmacists from within the School.


48. there is assessment of competence in dispensing either by an examination at the end of a dispensing course, taken under full examination conditions with an external examiner present or by a series of tests taken under examination conditions, with an external examiner having the right to attend any of the practical tests and attending some part of the assessment every year. The external examiner is associated with the overall assessment.

The documentation stated that there is a strong emphasis on dispensing within the course, with PHA306 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 2, PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS, and PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE all involving proprietary dispensing of prescriptions and signed orders from both medical and non‐medical prescribers, of developing degrees of complexity. PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE in Level 7 will cumulate with a coursework assessment taken under full examination conditions at which an external examiner will be present. PHA507 PHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS in Level 6 (2011/12) and PHA514 DOSAGE FORM DESIGN (2012/13 onwards) encompasses competency‐based assessment(s) in extemporaneous dispensing. Again, the final summative assessment is taken under full examination conditions at which an external examiner will be present.

As indicated in the commentary to Criterion #36, the accreditation team found confusing the use of the tem OSCE to describe what appeared to be a scenario‐based timed assessment in a dispensing test. However, the team was reassured by a comprehensive response from the Northern Ireland Lead teacher‐practitioner on future plans for the development of OSCEs, including blueprinting, pilot studies with pre‐registration trainees and the increase in the number of stations to 12 including high risk assessments. Teaching staff agreed that the above should be embedded into future assessment strategy. However, overall, the team agreed that there was adequate assessment of dispensing in Year 4. The team was told that the level of dispensing complexity increases as the programme develops from initial straightforward prescriptions to those containing inaccuracies requiring an enquiry from the student. The final assessment of dispensing takes place in Year 4 and the team was told that the assessment is designed to test competency to enter the period of pre‐registration training. Each station in the scenario‐based OSCE discussed above has to be passed. The definition of major and minor errors is taken from the standards for Accredited Pharmacy Checking Technicians. This criterion is met


49. There is a requirement for achievement of satisfactorily high standards in assessments of both dispensing practice, and pharmacy law and professional requirements, irrespective of the student’s performance in other subjects. Compensation of marks for these subjects is not allowed and success in these subjects is either a condition of entry to the final year or, if undertaken in the final year, for the award of the degree.

The documentation stated that the Course Planning Team has addressed this issue in the modules PHA306 PHARMACY

PRACTICE 2 AND PHA503 PHARMACY PRACTICE – SOCIAL CARE AND ETHICS in Levels 5 and 6, respectively, and PHA703 PHARMACY

PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE in Level 7, where dispensing practice of prescriptions and signed orders from both medical and non‐medical prescribers, and pharmacy law and professional requirements are covered. All the pharmacy practice and clinical modules within the course are core modules and, as such, both coursework and examination elements of assessment must be individually passed with no compensation allowed. While the examination pass mark is 40% for Levels 4, 5, and 6 and 50% for Level 7, specific marking criteria utilising pass/fail components have been developed ensuring that a satisfactory high standard must be reached to pass. Individual components of the coursework which involve dispensing practice and which are deemed by the course team to be of a professional nature must also be passed individually with no compensation allowed. In all law and calculations assessments this pass mark is 60%, in Responding to Symptoms it is 70%, and in proprietary and extemporaneous dispensing it is 70%. Marking criteria for this coursework will not allow any serious errors to be made. It is not possible for a student to enter the final year of study without having passed all previous modules.


50. During the final year, the student is required to pass an assessment of knowledge and understanding of any important recent changes in pharmacy law and /or professional requirements.

The documentation stated that PHA703 PHARMACY PRACTICE AND PRESCRIBING SCIENCE in the second semester of Level 7 includes a review of the legal and professional provisions relating to the practice of pharmacy, and incorporates recent changes in pharmacy law and/or professional requirements that have occurred during the term of the MPharm course.



This is formally assessed by a class test at the end of the module. This class test is a specified component of this module that has to be passed.

Indicative Syllabus The accreditation team agreed that the GPhC and PSNI Indicative Syllabus was covered by the provision. Summary and conclusions A step 7 accreditation is in two parts. Part 1 involves the team making two decisions. 1. whether the current MPharm degree has met the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC) and the PSNI accreditation criteria; and 2. whether the proposed MPharm degree is likely to meet the GPhC’s and the PSNI accreditation criteria for the accreditation period. The team as agreed to recommend to the Registrar of the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland that the MPharm degree delivered at University of Ulster should move from a position of working towards accreditation to a position of a an MPharm degree subject to reaccreditation. This is subject to a confirmatory visit by the Team leader and representatives from the GPhC and PSNI to the exam board in the summer which forms part 2 of this step 7 accreditation. Only once this has been completed will a final accreditation decision be reached by the GPhC and the PSNI. There are no conditions or recommendations. This means that the University of Ulster has been fully accredited to deliver an MPharm degree. The period of accreditation is two years. This period is being set to reflect that the University of Ulster is at a stage that requires it to move to the education and training standards for pharmacists of the GPhC and adopted by the PSNI, in the next few years. As a result of this event, a private record and a public report will be prepared and sent to the University for comments on matters of factual accuracy. Once agreed by the Registrar of the GPhC and the Council of PSNI, both documents will be sent to the University for its records, and the report, along with a formal response from the University, will be posted on both Regulators’ websites for the duration of the accreditation period.


The full record and report includes other comments from the team and the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland regard the record and report in its entirety as its formal view on provision. Providers are required to take all comments into account as part of the accreditation process. The team’s recommendations are not binding on the Registrar of the GPhC who may accept, modify or reject them. Also, that the accreditation team’s feedback is confidential until it has been ratified by the Registrar of the GPhC but the Universities may share it with staff and students internally. Confirmatory visit to the exam board June 2013 Neither academic staff nor the external examiners of the University of Ulster MPharm degree raised substantive issues that cast doubt on the academic standards of the course or the conduct of the assessment process for students on the course. Consequently, the accreditation team of the General Pharmaceutical Council and on behalf of the PSNI recommended to the Registrar of the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland that they ratify the full accreditation team’s Step 7 Part 1 recommendation that the University of Ulster be permitted to progress from the process for the accreditation of a new MPharm degree to the process for the accreditation of an existing MPharm degree. The Registrar of GPhC , Duncan Rudkin and Brendan Kerr on behalf of the Council of PSNI were contacted and agreed to the team’s recommendations.

The Quality Assurance Manager (Education) wrote to the GPhC’s application manager to inform him that authenticated MPharm degree pass lists sent to the GPhC from the University of Ulster dated on or after 13 June 2013 may be used to permit successful MPharm degree graduands on the list to enter pharmacist pre‐registration training.

The Pre‐registration lead of the PSNI wrote to the preregistration department to inform them that authenticated MPharm degree pass lists sent to the PSNI from the University of Ulster dated on or after 13 June 2013 may be used to permit successful MPharm degree graduands on the list to enter pharmacist pre‐registration training.


Cautions Preregistration and employment as a pharmacist: • In respect of all students, successful completion of an accredited course in not a guarantee of a placement for a pre‐registration year or of future employment as a

pharmacist. The accreditation process • Either party may withdraw from the accreditation process at any time. • The General Pharmaceutical Council will not withdraw unless it has good reason to do so: specifically, if it has evidence the conditions of accreditation are not being

met and are unlikely to be met for the foreseeable future. Meeting conditions includes meeting the standing conditions for accreditation, meeting the generic criteria for accreditation and complying with specific conditions imposed as part of an accreditation event

Standing condition of accreditation: These are the conditions which will apply in all circumstances of degree accreditation: 1. The school or department of pharmacy always seeks approval from the General Pharmaceutical Council for curriculum amendments and always at least informs the

General Pharmaceutical Council of significant changes to pharmacy undergraduate student numbers or resources for their teaching, learning support and assessment, including any change from internal to teaching, learning and assessment from outside the school or department;

2. The school or department of pharmacy produces and submits to the General Pharmaceutical Council annually requested data on student numbers and progression and degree awards;

3. The school or department of pharmacy produces and submits to the General Pharmaceutical Council annually requested information about the extent of human and physical resources it enjoys for the delivery and support of the degree course;

4. The school or department of pharmacy or the university makes students and potential students aware of the existence and Internet address where they can view the General Pharmaceutical Council’s summary reports of degree accreditation exercises, main after‐ actions therefrom and of the timetable for future accreditation exercises.


Appendix 1 – Supporting documentation

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Dispensing OSCE marking criteria

MPharm Thesis marking grid 2013/14 onwards

Fitness to Practice hearings 2011/12

University of Ulster MPharm Hospital Placements

Ulster Website for Community Pharmacy Placement Tutors

Letter to community pharmacy placement providers 2013

Minutes of Student/Staff Consultative Committee 14/11/12

MPharm Quality Assurance Strategy for Visiting and Guest Lecturers 2013

External Examiner Report CA

External examiner report GM

External examiner report CW

Programme Management System –FLHS; SBMS 11/12

Programme Management Biosciences Report 11/12

Dept of Pharm and Pharm Sci Subject Committee 14/03/12

School of Pharm and Pharm Sci Subject Committee 21/11/12

SBMS Teaching & Learning Committee 04/04/12

SBMS Teaching & Learning Committee 04/09/12

FLHS Committee Structure 12/13

SPPS Internal Moderation Policy

FLHS Teaching & Learning Committee 05/12/12

University of Ulster Plagiarism Policy 2012


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23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

Student contact hours by class type 11/12



Action and Uses of drugs 11/12



Practical content of MPharm 11/12



MPharm Project Titles 2012/13

Responding to Symptoms OSCE marking criteria

University of Ulster VC Student Fund Application

PHA101 Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2 – Science into practice case studies

Patient‐Public Involvement (PPI) Strategy for MPharm at Ulster 2012

Progress with PPI Strategy 12/02/13

Patient‐Public Involvement student questionnaire

Patient‐Public Involvement Survey Results 2012/13

Story of …..

MPharm regulations 2012

Publications by pharmacy staff in the last 4 years

Ulster University MPharm accreditation step 7 18 April 2013 REPORT

Documents

Transcript of Ulster University MPharm accreditation step 7 18 April 2013 REPORT