Royal Pharmaceutical Society updates prescribing competency framework

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS, 2016) has published an update to the Competency Framework for all Prescribers to ensure health professionals prescribe safely and effectively.

Originally published in 2012, the framework was developed to offer a common set of competencies for prescribing, regardless of professional background. As a result, it is relevant to all prescribers, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, optometrists, radiographers, podiatrists and dietitians. However, the framework should be contextualised to reflect different areas of practice and levels of expertise.

Ash Soni, President of the RPS, said:

‘Both the number of medicines prescribed and the complexity of medicine regimens are increasing. The challenges associated with prescribing the right medicines and supporting patients to use them effectively should not be underestimated.

‘There’s lots of evidence to show that much needs to be done to improve the way we prescribe and support patients in effective medicines use. This guide will be invaluable and I’m delighted the RPS has coordinated the update.’

The initial framework was published by the National Prescribing Centre and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). For the update, the RPS was approached by NICE and Health Education England to carry out the work on behalf of all prescribing professions. Additionally, the RPS was asked to ensure the framework had UK-wide applicability.

A project steering group of prescribers across all professions and patients updated the framework. This involved a 6-week consultation of the draft policy, where hundreds of organisations and individuals responded.

The framework has been endorsed by the UK’s Chief Pharmaceutical Officers—Keith Ridge, Rose Marie Parr, Andrew Evans and Mark Timoney—who said:

‘The single competency framework provides a means for all prescribers to become equipped to support patients to achieve the best outcomes from their medicines.

‘This update will ensure individuals can continue to benefit from access to resources which help them continually improve their practice and work more effectively.

‘We commend the updated framework and encourage prescribers, professional bodies, education providers and regulators to use it to support their role in delivering safe and effective care.’

How the competencies are separated

The framework comprises 10 competencies split into two areas: the consultation and prescribing governance. Within each of these competency areas, statements describe the activity or outcomes that prescribers should be able to demonstrate.

The consultation

The first competency concerns assessing the patient. It promotes taking an appropriate medical, social and medication history, before undertaking an appropriate clinical assessment.

The second competency involves the prescriber considering the options for the patient. This includes both non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches to treatment, and weighing up the risks and benefits to the patient of taking medicine.

The third competency is about reaching a shared decision with the patient/carer, so the patient/carer can make informed choices and agree on a plan that respects the patient’s preferences.

The fourth competency is the prescribing itself. The framework states the medicine should be prescribed only with ‘adequate, up-to-date awareness of its actions, indications, dose, contraindications, interactions, cautions, and unwanted effects.’ Where appropriate, medicines should be prescribed within relevant frameworks, such as local formularies or care pathways.

The fifth competency concerns providing information to the patient/carer about their medicines. This includes what the medicine is for, how to use it, possible unwanted effects and how to report them, and expected duration of treatment.

The sixth and final competency in the area of consultation is monitoring and reviewing. Here the prescriber should establish and maintain a plan for reviewing the patient’s treatment. The effectiveness of treatment and potential unwanted effects should be monitored.

Prescribing governance

The seventh competency, and first under the area of prescribing governance, concerns prescribing safely. It highlights that the prescriber should prescribe within their own scope of practice and recognise the limits of their own knowledge and skill.

The eighth competency comprises prescribing professionally, and ensuring the prescriber maintains confidence and competence to prescribe. This includes accepting personal responsibility for prescribing and understanding the legal and ethical implications.

The ninth competency focuses on improving prescribing practice through reflection. It also stresses the importance of acting on feedback and discussion.

The tenth and final competency involves prescribing as part of a multidisciplinary team to ensure continuity of care across care settings. Part of this concerns establishing relationships with other professionals based on understanding, trust and respect.

Putting the framework into practice

The framework can be used for a variety of reasons by prescribers to help them improve their performance and work more effectively. The following examples are highlighted in the framework:

• To inform the design and delivery of education programmes; for example, through validation of educational sessions (including rationale for need) and as a framework to structure learning and assessment
• To help health professionals prepare to prescribe and provide the basis for ongoing education and development programmes, continuous professional development and revalidation processes. For example, use as a framework for a portfolio to demonstrate competency in prescribing
• To help prescribers identify strengths and areas for development through self-assessment, appraisal and as a way of structuring feedback from colleagues
• To inform the development of education curricula and relevant accreditation of prescribing programmes for all prescribing professions
• To provide professional organisations or specialist groups with a basis for the development of levels of prescribing competency; for example, from recently qualified prescriber through to advanced prescriber
• To stimulate discussions around prescribing competencies and multidisciplinary skill mix at an organisational level
• To inform organisational recruitment processes to help frame questions and benchmark candidates’prescribing experience
• To inform the development of organisational systems and processes that support safe effective prescribing; for example, local clinical governance frameworks.

The RPS is liaising with the professional bodies and organisations of the other prescribing professions to encourage uptake of the framework, which will be reviewed again in July 2020.

References

Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2016) A Competency Framework for all Prescribers. http://www.rpharms.com/support-pdfs/prescribing-competencyframework.pdf (accessed 1 August 2016)

Taken from Nurse Prescribing, published 12 August 2016.