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Outline curriculum for training programmes to prepare Allied Health Professionals as Supplementary Prescribers - preview edition

The Department of Health (DH) and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) began a joint formal consultation in May 2004 on proposals to extend supplementary prescribing to chiropodists/podiatrists, physiotherapists and radiographers. The consultation has now closed and the MHRA is considering the responses before putting them to the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) in the autumn. The introduction of supplementary prescribing by chiropodists/podiatrists, physiotherapists and radiographers will be subject to Parliamentary approval to amendments to medicines legislation and NHS regulations, which is not expected before early in 2005. In parallel with the consultation, work has been undertaken to develop an outline curriculum framework, building on the work undertaken to develop curriculum frameworks for nurse and pharmacist supplementary prescribers. The Department of Health also commissioned the National Prescribing Centre (NPC) to develop a competency framework for AHP supplementary prescribers. The results of both of these pieces of work are being made available as preview editions. The aim is to assist Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Professional Bodies, Trusts and individuals from within these professions to begin preparations to develop training programmes and to identify the potential for improvements to service delivery.