Interested in being a Designated Prescriber for a pharmacist?

A critical component of a pharmacist’s education on the path to achieving full scope of practice qualifications is the requirement to spend dedicated time under the mentorship of an established prescriber.

This experience allows pharmacists to immerse themselves in the practical aspects of prescribing, learning directly from seasoned professionals who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in patient care and medication management. Through this mentorship, pharmacists gain invaluable insights into the complexities of the prescribing process, enhancing their ability to make informed, patient-centred decisions in their future practice.

This partnership aims to enhance the pharmacist’s competence in safe and effective prescribing within their identified scope of practice. The task leverages the National Prescribing Service Prescribing Competency Framework (2nd edition), focusing on the holistic management of patient care and appropriate referral processes for conditions beyond the pharmacist’s scope.

Requirements for a Designated Prescriber:

• Must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and an appropriate Board, with no undertakings or restrictions on their practice.
• Must be authorised to prescribe medications with at least one year of unsupervised and independent prescribing experience.
• Should be actively working in a prescribing role that aligns with the scope of practice of the pharmacist they are mentoring.
• There should be no actual or potential conflicts of interest between the pharmacist and the Designated Prescriber.

Responsibilities of a Designated Prescriber:

• Engage regularly (virtually or face-to-face) to review and discuss the experiential learning activities documented in the pharmacist’s logbook (minimum 20 hours).
• Provide mentorship about the benefits of prescribing within a collaborative healthcare team, following the National Prescribing Service Competency Framework.
• Identify and discuss activities that address gaps in the pharmacist’s prescribing competencies.
• Ensure the pharmacist has access to a range of observed consultations or clinical scenarios, facilitated through colleagues or other prescribers. Contributions from junior medical staff, nurse practitioners, physiotherapist prescribers, and credentialled diabetes educators can significantly enhance the pharmacist’s clinical development.
• While Designated Prescribers are not required to directly supervise the 120 hours of learning activities recorded in the pharmacist’s logbook, they must provide guidance, discussion, and reflection based on the pharmacist’s clinical experiences.
• Optional: Designated Prescribers may choose to allow the pharmacist to observe their practice (with patient consent), offering insight into the consultation process, including information gathering, therapeutic decision-making, communication of decisions, and follow-up.

Designated Prescribers may mentor between one and eight pharmacists at a time, providing a robust support system as these pharmacists progress toward full scope of practice. This mentorship not only helps shape competent prescribers but also strengthens the collaborative nature of healthcare, ultimately benefiting patient care.

For further information contact Terry White Chemmart via email to Kate Gunthorpe: Kate.Gunthorpe@twcmhealth.com.au

Click here to express your interest in becoming a Designated Prescriber.

More information about the pilot and clinical guidelines can be found at: Queensland community pharmacy pilots | Queensland Health