The titles, used by professional regulators, that are covered by the term DPP (when applied in the context of prescribing training) are:
- Designated Medical Practitioner (DMP)
- Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP)
- Practice Supervisor / Work-based Supervisor
- Practice Assessor / Co-ordinating Supervisor
- Practice Educator / Tier 3 Educator
The use of the term ‘Non-Medical’ refers to all Independent, Supplementary or Community Nurse Prescribers, and is used to avoid repetition of ‘independent, supplementary or community nurse prescribers’.
The aim of the DPP role:
“To oversee, support and assess the competence of non-medical prescribing trainees, in collaboration with academic and workplace partners, during the period of learning in practice”
A DPP is required to:
- Have current professional registration.
- Be in a patient facing role.
- Be an experienced Non-Medical Prescriber. An experienced prescriber is defined as an active prescriber ‘who would normally have’ at least 3 years of recent prescribing experience.
- Be an active prescriber with appropriate knowledge and experience relevant to the trainee’s area of clinical practice. An active prescriber consults with patients and makes prescribing decisions based on clinical assessment with sufficient frequency to maintain competence. Reflects and audits prescribing practice to identify developmental needs.
- Has up-to-date patient-facing, clinical and diagnostic skills and evidence of demonstrating competence in an area of practice relevant to the trainee.
- Has knowledge of the scope and legal remit of Non-Medical Prescribing for the NMP trainee’s profession.
- Has experience or had training in teaching and/or supervising in practice.
A DPP is expected to:
- Have knowledge of different teaching methods to facilitate learning in practice and adapt to individual student needs.
- Articulate decision-making processes and justify the rationale for decisions when teaching or training others.
- Have knowledge of a range of methods of assessment and experience of conducting assessment of trainees in clinical practice.
- Deliver timely and regular constructive feedback.
- Facilitate learning by encouraging critical thinking and reflection.
- Recognise own limits in capacity, knowledge and skills and areas of practice where other practitioners may be better placed to support learning.
- Advocate and facilitate a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach to training by encouraging the trainee to learn from other appropriate practitioners.
- Negotiate sufficient time to supporting the trainee throughout their period of learning in practice (PLP).
How to prepare for the DPP Role?
If you do not have any formal training in workplace-based learning, it is recommended that you undertake a DPP training course (free to NHS staff):
- Educational Supervisor Training for the Community Pharmacy Workforce – ProPharmace
- elearning for healthcare have Pharmacy Educational Supervisor Training programme:
https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/pharmacy-educational-supervisor-training/
NHSE recommend DPPs undertaking both core skills and enhanced skills modules
What indemnity insurance does a DPP require?
It is recommended that you confirm with your employing organisation that they have indemnity insurance that allows trainee independent prescribers within your workplace, e.g. Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice (CNSGP).