PHARMACY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMME HANDBOOK

2023-2024

Division of Pharmacy and Optometry

School of Health Sciences

Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

WELCOME TO PHARMACY

Welcome to the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry at the University of Manchester. May we take this opportunity to offer our congratulations on your success in the recent examinations and wish you well during your time with us? We hope that your stay in Manchester will be rewarding, not only in the academic areas but also as a result of your participation in the extra-curricular activities associated with the University, the City, and the North West region.

The purpose of this handbook is to bring together information to help you to answer queries that you might have about the programme and to provide some general information about the Division. We have tried to answer all the questions which have been asked by students in previous years, but if you feel that any important information has been omitted, please let us know.

As with any publication of this type, all the information contained was correct at the time of compilation. Although not anticipated at this stage, it may be necessary to make changes as the year progresses. Where there is such a need, you will be informed.

Professor Kaye Williams – Head of Division

Dr Susan Cochran – Programme Lead for Pharmacy (Years 1 and 2)

Mrs Victoria Tavares – Programme Lead for Pharmacy (Years 3 and 4)

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Staff List and contact details

ACADEMIC STAFF
Name	Email address
Professor Darren Ashcroft	darren.ashcroft@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Aleksandra Galetin	Aleksandra.Galetin@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Alison Gurney	Alison.gurney@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Jason Hall	Jason.Hall@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Mike Harte	Michael.Harte@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Jayne Lawrence	Jayne.Lawrence@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Andrew McBain	Andrew.Mcbain@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Jo Neill	Joanna.Neill@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Anna Nicolaou	anna.nicolaou@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Amin Rostami-Hochaghan	Amin.Rostami@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Ellen Schafheutle	ellen.schafheutle@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Ian Stratford	Ian.Stratford@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Kaye Williams Head of Division	Kaye.Williams@manchester.ac.uk

Dr. David Allison Reader	David.Allison@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Harmesh Aojula Senior Lecturer	Harmesh.Aojula@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Elena Bichenkova Reader	Elena.V.Bichenkova@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Richard Bryce Reader	Richard.Bryce@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Cyril Bussy Lecturer	cyrill.bussy@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Sam Butterworth Senior Lecturer	sam.butterworth@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Richard Campbell Senior Lecturer	richard.campbell@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Li-Chia Chen Senior Lecturer	Li-Chia.Chen@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Susan Cochran Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead	susan.cochran@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Costas Demonacos Senior Lecturer	Constantinos.Demonacos@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Katie Finegen Senior Lecturer	K.G.Finegan@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Sally Freeman Reader	Sally.Freeman@manchester.ac.uk
Mrs. Jenny Hughes Senior Lecturer	Jenny.k.hughes@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Gavin Humphreys Lecturer	gavin.humphreys@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Sally Jacobs Lecturer	sally.r.jacobs@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Richard Keers Senior Lecturer	richard.keers@manchester.ac.uk
Ms. Sarah Knighton Lecturer	sarah.knighton@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Ayse Latif Lecturer	ayse.latif@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Ruth Ledder Senior Lecturer	ruth.ledder@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Andrew Leech Senior Lecturer	andrew.leach@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Penny Lewis Senior Lecturer	penny.lewis@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Esnath Magola Lecturer	esnath.magola@manchester.ac.uk
Andrew Mawdsley Senior Lecturer	andrew.mawdsley@manchester.ac.uk
Diane Mitchell Senior Clinical Tutor	diane.mitchell@cmft.nhs.uk
Kate Oates Senior Clinical Tutor	kate.oates@cmft.nhs.uk
Dr. Kayode Ogungbenro Senior Lecturer	kayode.ogungbenro@manchester.ac.uk
Harsha Parmar Senior Lecturer	Harsha.Parmar@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Jeff Penny Senior Lecturer	Jeff.Penny@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Denham Phipps Senior Lecturer	denham.phipps@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Alain Pluen Senior Lecturer	Alain.Pluen@manchester.ac.uk
Graham Pollock Lloyds Teacher Practitioner	graham.pollock@manchester.ac.uk
Sadia Qayyum Lecturer	sadia.qayyum@manchester.ac.uk
Mary Rhodes Senior Lecturer	Mary.Rhodes@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Daniel Scotcher Lecturer	daniel.scotcher@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Victoria Silkstone Reader	victoria.silkstone@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Jenny Silverthorne Reader	Jennifer.Silverthorne@manchester.ac.uk
Dr. Doug Steinke Senior Lecturer	douglas.steinke@manchester.ac.uk
Victoria Tavares Lecturer and Programme Lead for Years 3 & 4	Victoria.tavares@manchester.ac.uk
Caroline Barrett Senior Clinical Tutor	caroline.barrett-2@mft.nhs.uk
Kirsty Worrall Teaching Practitioner	kirsty.worrall@manchester.ac.uk
Mrs Fatima Zulfiqar Lecturer	fatima.zulfiqar@manchester.ac.uk

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES STAFF
Victoria O’Reilly Divisional Operations Manager	victoria.oreilly@manchester.ac.uk
Paula Rosson Academic Group Administration Manager	Paula.M.Rosson@manchester.ac.uk
Glenys Fry Academic Group Administrator	glenys.fry@manchester.ac.uk
Sarah Fairhurst Academic Group Administrator	sarah.fairhurst@manchester.ac.uk
Michelle Riddehough Academic Group Administrator	Michelle.riddehough@manchester.ac.uk
Alyssa Piasecki Academic Group Administrator	Alyssa.piasecki@manchester.ac.uk

TECHNICAL STAFF
Karen Purcell Senior Technician (Teaching) Pharmacy Ground floor Pharmacy Skills Suite (PSS)	Karen.purcell@manchester.ac.uk
Sara Evans Technician (Teaching) Pharmacy Ground floor Pharmacy Skills Suite (PSS)	sara.evans@manchester.ac.uk
Mark Oldfield Technician (Teaching) 1^st Floor 1SUGT	mark.oldfield@manchester.ac.uk
Mr Anthony Steel Technical Manager 1^st Floor 1SUGT	Anthony.steel@manchester.ac.uk
Nicola Steel Deputy Technical Manager 1^st Floor 1SUGT	nicola.steel@manchester.ac.uk
Mrs Dawn Rearden Deputy Technical Manager 2^nd Floor 2SUGT	dawn.rearden@manchester.ac.uk
Mr David Garvey Technician (Teaching) 2^nd Floor 2SUGT	david.j.garvey@manchester.ac.uk

School of Health Sciences Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Staff :

In order for staff to respond as quickly as possible to your request, and to ensure that your request reaches the correct member of staff, we have set-up dedicated email addresses that serve a different function. If your query relates to any of the below, please email the relevant email address.

Email Address	Supports queries about:
shs.assessment@manchester.ac.uk	Examination queries Assessment queries Assessment submissions Resit/reassessment queries
shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk	Attendance monitoring
shs.dc@manchester.ac.uk	Disability support
shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk	Mitigating circumstances
shs.placements@manchester.ac.uk	All placement queries
shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk	Registration advice and guidance Course unit selection and enrolment Timetable queries Programme content
shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk	Wellbeing student support, appointments and signposting
shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk	Student Support Hub – general queries and advice not covered by the above teams

As these inboxes are associated with staff supporting multiple programmes, please could you ensure that you always include the following details in your email, which will help us to ensure that your message is dealt with promptly:

Full Name

Student ID Number

Year of Study

Programme

1.2 Key Dates for 2023-2024

Welcome Week: Monday 18 September – Friday 22 September 2023

First Semester:

Monday 25 September 2023 – Friday 26 January 2024

Christmas Break: Monday 18 December 2023 – Sunday 14 January 2024

Sem 1 Exam period: Monday 15 January 2024 – Friday 26 January 2024

Second Semester:

Monday 29 January 2024 – Friday 7 June 2024

Non-teaching week: Monday 18 March – Friday 22 March 2024

Easter Break: Monday 25 March to Sunday 7 April 2024

Examination Periods:

Sem 1 Exam period: Monday 15 January 2024 – Friday 26 January 2024

Sem 2 Exam period: Monday 13 May 2024 – Wednesday 5 June 2024 (tbc)

Resit Exam period: Monday 19 August 2024 – Friday 30 August 2024 (please bear this in mind when planning holidays).

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/key-dates/

1.3 Examination and Teaching Timetables

1.3.1 Examination Timetables

Normally the examination timetables are managed and published by the central Exams Team within the Student Services Centre (not the Division). They are produced using dedicated software for which the overarching factor is the production of a timetable with no, or as few as possible, student clashes.

While attempts are made to ensure that students have a spread of examination dates throughout the examination period, in many cases this is not possible given the institutional constraints on the numbers of examination venues that are available, the number of examinations that are scheduled to take place and the options available to students on any particular programme of study. Therefore you should expect to have some exams on consecutive days where this is unavoidable.

1.3.2 Teaching Timetables

A master timetable will be uploaded to the UG Pharmacy Community Space on Blackboard. This provides an overview of each semester. You are advised to check these at the commencement of each semester and read them in conjunction with course unit level timetables that can be found in the course unit folder in Blackboard. Whilst it is not anticipated that major changes will be made during the year, minor alterations may need to be made from time to time. Every attempt will be made to notify you of such changes as soon as possible in advance either verbally or by written notice, or both.

You will be split into groups for certain classes and this information will be uploaded to the timetable folder on Blackboard.

You will have classes in lots of different building across the campus so please familiarise yourself with the locations using our interactive Campus Map.

The following lecture theatres, laboratories and tutorial rooms are located within the Stopford Building. Please note that you will need your student ID card to gain entry to the Stopford Building:

Lecture Theatres 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Interprofessional Education Suite (IPE Suite) (Room G.183)

Clinical Skills Suite (Room G.123)

Pharmacy Skills Suite (Room G.229/G.226)

The Training Room (G.223)

The Project Room (G.382)

Teaching labs: 1SUGT (1^st Floor) and 2SUGT (2nd floor)

1.4 Religious Observance

The University’s Policy on Religious Observance can be found here: http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic/policy-on-religious-observance/

The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has produced guidance for healthcare students on fasting and caring: Fasting and Caring – Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan: guidance for health care students.

1.5 Learning Resources

1.5.1 Library

The University of Manchester Library provides you with the resources and support you need throughout your MPharm programme. The Main Library and Stopford Library house all of the essential text books whilst the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons provide a 24/7 learning environment in addition to study skills workshops. The Library also has an extensive collection of eBooks, databases and journals available online.

You can check the service availability here: https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/help-and-support/service-availability/

The My Learning Essentials page of the Library website has links to all of the Library’s resources and services available to students: https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/training/my-learning-essentials/

Getting Started You will need your student card to access all library sites around campus. Many of our services and resources also require you to confirm that you are a registered student. This authentication can be your student card, the ID number on the card, your Library PIN, the central username and password you use to log on, or a combination of these.

There is a library guide for Pharmacy students giving all of the latest information on resources and learning and research services available. This is a good starting point if you are looking for any library resources or information related to your course.

Each course module in Blackboard includes an online reading list, so you can quickly check availability and directly access e-books, digitised chapters and e-journals or articles.

The Main Library

The Main Library holds the principal collection of Pharmacy books and journals. Pharmacy textbooks are located on Floor 2 of the Blue Area, together with books in other related subjects such as Biology, Chemistry and Social Sciences. Pharmacy journals held in print are on Floor 1 of the Green Area in the Clinical Sciences sequence; further relevant periodicals are shelved in other areas of the Main Library. The library search facility will let you know what items are available and where to find them, including eBooks and online journals.

The Main Library offers group study rooms, individual study space options and computer clusters. Wi-Fi is available throughout the building and a cafe lounge can be found on the ground floor. The Library has long opening hours and extends these during exam periods. Please check Locations and Opening Hours for full details on opening hours and facilities.

The Stopford Library

The Stopford Library is a smaller site library for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Biological Sciences and holds multiple copies of all new editions of core and useful texts. Full details of what is available can be found using library search or asking a member of customer service staff. In addition to books, Stopford Library also has half skeletons and iPads available for loan.

The Stopford Library also has a computer suite, Wi-Fi and 6 group study rooms with a large table and 14 chairs, a 32 inch LCD monitor and a large “sqwiggle” board. Bookings can be made at the customer service desk in the Stopford Library.

Please check Locations and Opening Hours for full details on opening hours and facilities.

1.5.2 The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons

The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons is a state-of-the-art learning environment with 24/7 opening hours throughout term-time. The Learning Commons has flexible open learning spaces with multimedia facilities, computer clusters and 30 bookable group study rooms with whiteboards and media screens.

There is a series of training workshops covering a variety of academic and transferable skills hosted in the training room at the Learning Commons. These workshops include training on revision/study skills, note-taking and other topics and have been developed by Learning Commons staff in partnership with other teams across the University. Full details of training sessions are available in the My Learning Essentials Calendar.

1.5.3. The Stopford Common Room

There is a shared Common Room in Stopford Building that is available to members of the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, which provides a place where you can relax between classes. This is based on the first floor of the Stopford Building.

Pharmacy Student Space

On the ground floor of the Stopford Building there is a dedicated pharmacy student space where you can socialise, relax or study. You can also access kitchen facilities here. This space is located next to the Clinical Skills Suite (CSS).

1.5.4 Email

Information is sent to students via e-mail, so please check your university e-mail account daily.

When sending emails to members of staff please bear in mind that your e-mails may need a different style and tone to those you would address to a friend. Always quote your student ID in your email. The following tips are intended to ensure your e-mails are positively received:

Use a formal tone when you initially contact a member of staff, if they respond informally you can assume that your future e-mails to them can match this tone.
Include your full name and what year of the programme you are on.
Pay attention to the spelling of the recipient’s name and their title (e.g. Prof, Dr, Mr, Miss / Ms; Mrs).
Don’t address someone by their first name unless you are on quite familiar terms with them. If they sign off with just their first name in their reply, they are probably inviting you to call them by their first name, but if in any doubt, use the more formal form of address.
Open with a polite address, i.e. ‘Dear Dr. Smith’, ‘Dear John’, etc. and avoid overly familiar or bizarre-sounding openers, e.g. ‘Hey John’, ‘Hiya’, etc.
Similarly, don’t sign off in an overly familiar way, e.g. ‘Laters!, Jonno’, ‘Jonno xx’, etc.
Be polite and respectful in your communications.
Don’t send e-mails that sound curt, abusive, or demanding, or make unnecessarily personal remarks.
Please allow at least 3 working days for staff to reply to your email. If they are not available they will have an automatic reply. If your query is urgent attempt to see/contact another member of staff. Alternatively you can visit or email the SHS Student Hub (ground floor, Jean McFarlane Building) or email: shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk.

1.5.5 IT Services and eLearning

IT Services Support Centre online

Details of what IT support is available and how to access it can be found on the FBMH eLearning Support page.
Login to the Support Centre online to log a request, book an appointment for an IT visit, or search the Knowledge Base.
Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 5544 (or extension 65544). Telephone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In person: Walk-up help and support is available at the Joule Library, Main Library or Alan Gilbert Learning Commons:
Use Support Centre online for support with eLearning, from where you may make a request or search the Knowledge Base.

For IT and eLearning support visit: https://elearning.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/student/technical-support/

Blackboard
Blackboard, the University’s ‘virtual learning environment’, will be used for online teaching.

What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is a web-based system that complements and builds upon traditional learning methods used at The University of Manchester. By using Blackboard you can:

view course materials and learning resources
communicate with lectures and other students
collaborate in groups
get feedback
submit assignments
monitor your own progress at a time and place of your own convenience

There is also a UG Pharmacy Community Space that contains general information relevant to all four years of the Pharmacy programme, such as the programme handbook, timetables, groups etc.

You can access Blackboard via: https://online.manchester.ac.uk/

Training in the use of software
The Faculty eLearning team have produced a short introduction to Blackboard for new students. The recording is hosted in two places: the VLS and on YouTube:

The recording is just over seven minutes long and covers most of the commonly used tools in Blackboard.

1.5.6 Social Media

Please follow us on social media:

Twitter handle is @UoMMPharm

Instagram is @manchester_mpharm

1.6 Brief History of Pharmacy at the University of Manchester

Although classes in Pharmaceutical Chemistry were being conducted in the Medical School at Manchester by John Dalton as early as 1824, and courses in pharmaceutical subjects were for a time available to Owens College around 1869, the present Pharmacy School of the University was not established until 1883[1]. In that year a pharmacist, W. Elborne, was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Materia Medica and Pharmacy, working under D.J Leech, then Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics. The prospectus for 1884 offered full-time day courses extending over two academic years in addition to part-time evening courses in preparation for the examinations of the Pharmaceutical Society. In 1904, Pharmacy was added to the list of subjects which could be presented for both honours and ordinary degrees, and the July 2004 graduation celebrated 100 years of Pharmacy graduates from Manchester.

During the period from 1904 up to the Second World War, the number of students taking the degree was small, the majority registering for the shorter courses for the qualifying examinations of the Pharmaceutical Society. In 1928 the University purchased the Manchester College of Pharmacy, a very successful privately owned Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, and amalgamated it within the University. Mr. Harry Brindle, who had been the Principal of that private school, became in 1946 the first Professor of Pharmacy at Manchester. This appointment was co-incident with the recognition of an independent Department of Pharmacy.

The growth in the proportion of degree students increased, and by 1959 all undergraduates were reading for a Pharmacy Degree. In 1962, the Pharmacy Department transferred from the Faculty of Medicine to the Faculty of Science. In 1970, a thorough review of the undergraduate syllabus was undertaken, and a three-year honours BSc programme introduced with the cessation of the four-year programme. The first year group of students to take the new BSc programme graduated in 1974. New laboratories for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, and some areas of Pharmaceutics were provided, together with seminar rooms, and a common room.

Further developments in the undergraduate curriculum and the refurbishment of lecture theatres and laboratories have taken place in the period since 1974. In 1997 the 4-year MPharm programme started with the first group graduating in July 2001. In 2000 the School transferred back to the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (formerly the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Pharmacy). In October 2004 the Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST merged to form The University of Manchester.

In 2006/07, the School moved into a refurbished part of the Stopford Building. Constant change is required if the School is to maintain its place as a leader in the field of undergraduate and postgraduate pharmaceutical education.

In August 2016 the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences merged with the Faculty of Life Sciences to form the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, which you are now a member of.

[1] 1. Robinson, B. The History of Pharmaceutical Education in Manchester, Robinson (1986)

1.7 Health and Safety in the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry

Policy

Health and Safety at the University of Manchester is subject to the provisions of the “Health and Safety at Work Act.” As a responsible body, the University actively promotes good practice in all areas relating to health and safety and it is a policy to do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for staff, students and any other person who may visit. All schools in the University must conform to the University’s arrangements to implement its health and safety policy which is approved by the University’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee. The policy and arrangements chapters are published on the Safety Services webpages (https://www.healthandsafety.manchester.ac.uk/policy/arrangementschapters/).

Many issues of health and safety are specific to a school or an area of the University. Responsibility for ensuring that proper procedures are in place to provide a safe and healthy working environment for staff and students is devolved to the Head of the Division who has appointed a Divisional Health and Safety Committee, and safety advisors to manage this responsibility and formulate local policy on all health and safety matters.

Your Obligation

By Law, it is the duty of every student whilst on University premises to:

Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of all other people whose health and safety may be affected by their actions or omissions.
Co-operate with members of staff who have responsibility for specific safety duties so the University can meet its obligation to comply with health and safety legislation and implement health and safety policies.
Not interfere with or misuse, intentionally or recklessly, anything provided in the interest of health, safety and welfare.
Use any protective equipment issued to you which will reduce the risk of an accident and promote a safer environment.

Division of Pharmacy and Optometry

It is the policy of the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry to promote awareness of health and safety issues for all activities related your course and student experience. Information relating to safety will be given to you in a lecture at the start of the semester. You will also be required to complete satisfactorily an online health and safety course and will receive a sheet titled “Statement to all undergraduate students from the Divisional Health and Safety Committee.” This gives general guidelines on health and safety together with other related information. You will be asked to sign a return slip stating that you have read and understood this information, undertake to work within these guidelines and comply with any safety instructions given to you. Some key safety points are given below for reference and to act as a reminder that health and safety issues must be given the highest priority at all times during the programme.

There is a need for continuous safety awareness and the importance of implementing health and safety measures (e.g. the wearing of safety glasses) must be stressed at all times. At the commencement of each undergraduate practical class, information about the particular hazards associated with the exercises will be made available to students together with the appropriate preventative measures. Some classes are exempted from the need to wear safety glasses and the class organiser will inform you of this fact.

Timetabled practical classes are arranged as part of the Pharmacy degree programme. To ensure that a safe working environment is maintained, undergraduate students are not allowed to work in laboratories outside timetabled class hours unless they have permission from the class organiser.

During their programme, undergraduate students may be expected to carry out project work in recognised research laboratories. This work will be supervised by a named member of staff who will discuss with the student all aspects of safety relating to the project. At the commencement of the project and at all stages of the work, the particular safety hazards and appropriate preventative measures must be the subject of discussion between the student and the supervisor.

During laboratory-based practical work students must ensure that they:

Are aware of the known properties of material and /or equipment being used.
Know what to do in case of an accident.
Are compliant with safety rules and regulations.
Provide clear information about the action to be taken if equipment is left in operation unattended.
Have taken all possible precautions to reduce hazards to a minimum.

If you fail to comply with any health and safety instructions you will not be allowed to enter laboratories to continue with your laboratory work until you undertake to comply consistently with all health and safety requirements.

Points of Information

Students should be appropriately dressed to be in the laboratory (No shorts, open-toe shoes, baseball caps or low-necked tops) and laboratory coats must be worn at all times during practical classes. They should NOT be worn outside the laboratory or in the common room.

Outdoor coats, large bags etc. are not allowed in laboratories. They should be stored in a locker. In the interest of safety and security, any items left unattended will be removed.

Eating and drinking is strictly forbidden in all laboratory areas, lecture theatres, tutorial rooms and CAL laboratories.

The use of mobile phones is not allowed during most classes – please turn them off before entering a class. On occasion a tutor may ask students to use their mobile device as part of the teaching and learning, on these occasions use to aid learning is permitted.

First Aid

Staff trained in First Aid are available and will respond in the case of an accident. On every occasion, an accident form must be filled in and sent to the University’s Safety Services.

Fire Alarm

If the fire alarm sounds YOU MUST evacuate the building as quickly as possible. DO NOT re-enter the building until told to do so by a University Security or Fire Evacuation Marshall. DO NOT re-enter a practical class until told to do so by a class supervisor.

Fire alarm systems in the Stopford Building are tested every Tuesday at 8.30am. Fire alarm test times are different in other University buildings and information relating to these can be found on fire notices which are usually posted next to fire extinguishers. These notices also contain information about designated assembly points outside the building in the event of an alarm. You are advised to familiarise yourself with the escape route and assembly points for each building in which you attend lectures, tutorials and practical classes.

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide general information so that students work in as safe an environment as possible and the risk of an accident is reduced to a minimum. However, it should be stressed that no system is foolproof and students must assure themselves that they are aware of the likely risks involved in any practical work and gain the necessary proficiency to minimise the possibility of an accident. There is no substitute for common sense, care and attention.

Pregnancy and Maternity

If you become pregnant during your studies it is vital that you speak to your Academic Advisor as soon as possible. The purpose of the discussion is a) to provide you with appropriate support and guidance and b) consider any health & safety risk assessments. After your discussion with your Academic Advisor, they will approach the relevant person to arrange a risk assessment.

1.8 Communication and Dress Code for Pharmacy Students

All health and social care professionals are bound by the guidance and rules of conduct set out by the Department of Health and the relevant regulatory or representative body, e.g. the General Dental Council (GDC), General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Psychological Society (BPS). These in turn define the standards for health and social care education in the UK in settings in which a student is interacting with patients, clients or service users.

The following is guidance on the standards of communication and dress code deemed appropriate for all health and social care students while in a learning environment, and have been informed by guidance provided by a number of Trusts in the North West for health and social care professionals. Students should be aware that during placements, they will need to seek out and comply with the standards as defined by the respective Trusts where they are based.

Communication, both verbal and non-verbal, including dress code, is an important element in ensuring that professional standards are maintained.

Adjustments to the uniform for cultural / ethnic or religious reasons will be considered where possible but must be in line with national and local policies. In relation to the University supplied items of uniform, adjustments to sleeve length are not offered. Any student wishing to wear long sleeves for religious reasons will be required to purchase their own under garments / disposable sleeves.

1.8.1 Communication

All health and social care students should adhere to the following principles (similarly defined within the General Medical Council’s, ‘Good Medical Practice’ document) when communicating and in other skills training, discussion and assessment:

listening to patients, clients and service users, taking account of their views, and responding honestly to their questions;
giving patients the information they want or need to know in a way they can understand, ensuring that arrangements are made, wherever possible, to meet patients’ language and communication needs;
being considerate to those close to the patient and sensitive and responsive in giving them information and support;
being readily accessible to patients and colleagues seeking information, advice or support when you are on duty.

1.8.2 Professional Conduct

What does being professional mean and why is this relevant to you?

Keeping professionalism at the heart of your practice is essential to ensure the trust of individuals and the wider society. Professionalism is often defined as a set of values and behaviours that influence what you do and how you do it, and relates specifically to awareness, attitude, and behaviours. Irrespective of the specific profession to which you will or do belong, behaving in a professional way means demonstrating the following values:

honesty and integrity (trustworthiness)
a sense of decency
a sense of duty
transparency.

This concept of professionalism seeks to underpin the trust that the public have in all professionals.

As a student within the UoM (FBMH) it is highly likely that you will be aligned to a professional regulatory body. Therefore, it is essential that you are able to develop a good understanding of what professionalism entails in order to ensure you are able to apply sufficient professional judgement, attitude and appropriate behaviour within a variety of contexts. You should be aware that professional regulators expect professional behaviour to be demonstrated from the beginning of your studies.

Throughout your studies here, you should acquire the necessary knowledge and understanding about what is considered acceptable professional behaviour (for example, related knowledge, attitude, and skills) to help you to develop your professional identity. You will be required to apply this knowledge and understanding in and around campus whilst at university, whilst on clinical placement and of course in your future professional careers. You must also be mindful of upholding the public trust beyond these environments including within various social settings.

Having an early and clear understanding of what professionalism entails and what may be considered as ‘poor professional practice’ can empower you to identify unprofessional behaviour and seek to address this before it becomes a cause for concern.

What is considered to be poor professional behaviour?

The following behaviours are examples of poor professional behaviour, likely to trigger professionalism concerns (GMC, 2016; GDC, 2020; GPhC, 2021; NMC, 2021; HCPC, 2021; SWE, 2021):

lack of commitment (for example, uncommitted to work or engagement with training, programme of study or placement);
lack of competence;
neglect of administrative tasks;
poor time management;
non-attendance;
poor communication skills;
providing false or misleading information;
dishonesty (for example, *lying, cheating or plagiarising in assessments)
forgery (for example, signing peers into taught sessions from which they are absent);
failure to accept and/or follow educational advice;
unwillingness to learn from feedback given by others;
being rude to patients, colleagues or others;
unwillingness to learn from constructive feedback given by others;
being disruptive in teaching sessions or other learning environments;
challenging behaviour towards others or not accepting criticism;
failing to answer or respond to communications; • failing to demonstrate good health care practice;
misuse of social media, such as criticising placement providers, sharing (without permission) photographs taken in placement areas, bullying others, or sharing abusive or offensive materials;
breaching patient, colleague, or organisational confidentiality.

*NB academic malpractice is a specific type of misconduct which is subject to University disciplinary processes. For more information see: http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic/academic-malpractice/

1.8.3 Dress Code

Why are dress codes important?

There are general dress code expectations for learners undertaking programmes leading to a professional qualification. In any situation where you interact with patients, clients, or staff, as a student at UoM (for example, face-to-face situations, telephone consultations or communication via electronic devices) you are representing the University and should take care to ensure that your attire projects a professional image and inspires confidence. It has been shown that non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal communication, so how you appear to your patients, clients, service users, relatives or colleagues may communicate just as much as what is said or written. Extremes of dress can compromise communication channels with patients and healthcare colleagues, regardless of either party’s gender, or cultural, or ethnic background. Subject to the overriding requirements of safety and public confidence, you should feel comfortable in your work wear. However, styles of dress or articles of clothing that introduce barriers to communication, or that compromise, or could potentially compromise hygiene must be avoided. The following additional guidance applies to all simulated clinical environments, laboratories and clinical placement areas since we consider this is one way to uphold professional and public confidence whilst also recognising and respecting inclusivity, equality and diversity. Individual Schools within the Faculty may also produce further guidance relating to specific programmes and settings. The infection prevention and uniform/dress code policies of our relevant partner organisations and placement providers have to be strictly adhered to whilst attending your placement or wearing your professional uniform.

Infection prevention

Healthcare often involves delivering care to vulnerable individuals in an environment where infection prevention is required to prevent transmission of disease. Therefore, you need to be aware of and comply with any infection prevention measures required.

Dress code requirements

Uniforms and provided work wear

If a uniform or other work wear is provided, then you must wear it. If you are working in a laboratory or in a clinical setting, there may be certain dress code and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements (for example, uniform, lab coats, protective goggles). Please follow any instructions provided for the specific session or placement you are attending. You should put on a clean uniform or work wear at the start of every shift and ensure it is washed appropriately.

Washing uniforms and work wear

Scientific observations and tests, literature reviews and expert opinion suggest that there is little effective difference between domestic and commercial laundering in terms of removing micro-organisms from uniforms and work wear (NHS England, 2020). Therefore, washing with detergents at 30ºC will remove most Gram-positive microorganisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A ten-minute wash at 60ºC is considered sufficient to remove almost all contaminating microorganisms

Other clothes

If uniform is not provided, you should not wear revealing clothing (for example exposing the midriff or underwear) or clothing that is at risk of becoming revealing when in certain positions such as bending over. Clothing should be clean, well maintained and practical. Very long, and/or floaty/dangling clothing should also be avoided for hygiene and safety issues. Items such as neck ties should be avoided due to infection control risk and safety risks to yourself of someone else potentially grabbing it. Clothes with offensive slogans, unprofessional images or logos are not considered acceptable in any setting.

Identification badges and lanyards

Where applicable, it is important that patients, relatives and colleagues can identify who you are therefore identification badges are important. However, you must ensure that lanyards do not come in to contact with patients if they are allowed within an organisation.

Hair/facial hair

Hair should be fastened back or tied up above the collar so that it does not interfere with or add risk to a clinical interaction. Beards and moustaches should be neat and tidy and not come into contact with patients or clients.

Footwear

Well fitted, closed around and over the foot shoes or trainers which are non-porous, clean, and cleanable and in a good state of repair should be worn. Heels that would impede you getting to and assisting in an emergency should not be worn. A soft non-slip soled shoe will be safer and cause less disturbance whilst on placement.

Jewellery

Jewellery if worn, should be discreet. Stud piercing(s) in the nose and ears are acceptable but large jewellery can detract from effective communication or be considered an injury or infection control risk. In clinical or laboratory settings, all jewellery should be removed including wristwatches (exceptions are small studs, a single ring that is a smooth, plain metallic band and religious/cultural items as outlined below). Earrings are restricted to one pair of plain stud earrings (with no stones). If you have ear stretching or gauging (where someone may have a larger than average hole in the ear lobe), the tunnel or plug if worn must be as close to natural skin tone for the individual and will count as the equivalent of one pair of plain earrings. Recognised medi-alerts may be permitted providing staff have discussed this with their supervisor and occupational health.

Bare below the elbow policy

When attending laboratory, simulated clinical sessions or clinical placements you will be required in almost all circumstances to be bare below the elbow for handwashing and when providing direct care to patients and clients. Where, for religious reasons, you may wish to cover your forearms or wear a bracelet when not engaged in patient care, you will need to ensure that sleeves or bracelets can be pushed up the arm and secured in place for hand washing and direct patient care activity. Any full/three-quarter length sleeves and/or ties etc must not be loose or dangling; they must be able to be rolled-up or pulled back and kept securely in place during hand-washing and direct patient care activity.

Tattoos

Visible tattoos should not be offensive or derogatory to patients, visitors, colleagues or members of staff. Where they are deemed to be offensive (for example, containing explicit, discriminatory, religious, sexual, political or football related images or slogans) they should be appropriately covered using a covering considered suitable and appropriate to the area of work. Local departmental managers can make a judgement as to what is acceptable. New tattoos should be covered until they are healed so you should always consider the bare below the elbow requirement when planning a new tattoo.

Fingernails

Nails should be kept short (for example, should not extend beyond the fingertip) to avoid scratching others, clean and free from nail varnish and artificial nails.

Strong odours

Strong odours including natural body odour, strong perfume/aftershave should be avoided.

Cultural and religious considerations

The wearing of items of cultural and religious significance may be permitted, provided the health, safety and security of others is not compromised. However, you must always adhere to placement provider policies when attending placement.

Headwear

Headwear (for example, turbans, kippots, Christian or niqab veils and headscarves) should be permitted on religious grounds. However, if religious headwear is worn, it should be secured in place so that it does not dangle. If you choose to wear a face covering, you may be expected to remove this whilst in clinical or educational environments. When required for identity or communication purposes (for example, related to security, assessment or enhanced communication requirements), the removal of the veil or face covering 13 | P a g e 2 4 – 7 – 2 0 2 3 can be requested in private. Following the removal of headwear, you should be given the opportunity to use a mirror, and to be allowed privacy and time to put it back on.

Disposable over-sleeves

Disposable over-sleeves may be made available to students who are required (due to their religious beliefs or other specific reasons) to cover their forearms. Disposable over-sleeves should be worn in the same way as disposable gloves (worn in the patient area and immediately disposed of after each patient interaction). The arm sleeves are elasticated at the elbow and wrist and are put on and discarded (donned and doffed) in exactly the same way as disposable gloves. Strict procedures for washing hands and wrists must still be observed. Please check with relevant placement provider in advance.

Wearing of work wear out of work

It is not good practice to remain in work wear on leaving clinical placements. Please refrain from going to the shops and engaging in other activities out of work or the wearing work wear in social settings, for example at parties or at the pub. Additionally, you should not appear in work wear on social media unless in official campaigns.

Should you have any concerns about any aspect of the dress code, you are advised to speak to your academic or clinical adviser/supervisor. If you have a disability which could impact upon your own ability to meet professional dress code standards you can also contact the following for further advice:

University Disability Advisory Support (http://www.dso.manchester.ac.uk/contact-and-see-us/);
Occupational Health services (http://www.occhealth.manchester.ac.uk/).

1.9 Health clearance

As part of the admissions process you were required to complete a health questionnaire. The details from this will determine whether you need to attend an appointment with our Student Occupational Health Service. To participate in hospital placements you need to receive Occupational Health clearance which includes Hepatitis B vaccination. If an appointment is required, this will be arranged for you either by the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry or directly by Occupational Health. A certificate of health clearance will be sent to the Division as soon as you have passed these checks and this will be kept on your student file. Without this clearance you will NOT be permitted to attend the compulsory hospital placements.

1.10 Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Criminal Records Check

In addition to completing the disclosure of criminal convictions section on your UCAS form and signing a Division of Pharmacy and Optometry Code of Conduct Declaration during the application process, first year students will be required to submit to a criminal records check at the start of the first semester of the MPharm programme. This takes the form of an Enhanced Level search by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Division will assist students in the completion of this check, however it is your responsibility to ensure that this is completed on time and that you complete all the actions requested of you within the timeframe allocated.

You are required to provide the Division with information relating to any reprimands, cautions or convictions which you may have received either in this country or in other countries. Any information provided is treated in the strictest confidence and may not necessarily lead to a reconsideration of your position on the programme. However, failure to disclose any information at this stage, which may be provided to us at a later date by the Disclosure and Barring Service through its enhanced disclosure, will be viewed most seriously and will result in a reconsideration of your suitability to practise. You should declare all reprimands, cautions or convictions, including any that will be filtered from the Police National Computer, even if they have already been declared on your UCAS form.

Failure to complete the DBS check will prevent you from attending the compulsory hospital placements and will affect your progression on the MPharm programme.

1.11 Annual GPhC Standards and Criminal Record Declaration

Students are required to complete an annual declaration stating they are aware that they must meet the General Pharmaceutical Council’s Standards for pharmacy professionals at all times. All students must complete this satisfactorily at the start of each year to commence placements. The declaration will be via an online survey on Blackboard. Students MUST declare any ongoing investigations, reprimands, cautions or convictions (including any that will be filtered from the Police National Computer) to the Programme Team within ten working days. It is inappropriate to wait for the annual declaration to disclose these matters.

1.12 Additional costs

The Division works hard to ensure that this programme can be completed without significant additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for the programme. The two areas where additional costs can be incurred are travel and reading. In both of these situations the Division seek to ensure that additional costs are kept as low as possible. The University defines low cost as an annual cost which is no more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee.

Where possible the Division will attempt to make core readings accessible to students via the Library, either digitally or for loan. There are a limited number of core texts that may be required by students. The Division have attempted to keep this list to a minimum including only those texts which are used extensively in more than one unit or in more than one academic year and that are not available electronically. This list is reviewed annually by the Teaching Governance Committee.

A great strength of the Manchester programme is the number of placements that are provided and we believe this invaluable experience in community and hospital pharmacy will benefit students in the long term. Students will have to travel to placements in Greater Manchester and occasionally into Cheshire or Merseyside, as part of this programme and students will be responsible for meeting these travel costs.

Students experiencing financial hardship (in excess of that expected of a typical student, supported by evidence), may apply in confidence. A small level of financial support may be available towards placement travel costs (with receipts), on a case by case basis.

1.13 Whistle blowing

The Standards for Pharmacy Professionals directs students to ‘speak up where we have concerns or when things go wrong’. Whistle blowing involves informing others if you believe poor practice could impact on the safety or care of others. All health care professionals have a duty to take action if they believe the safety of others could be comprised as a result of poor practice. If you believe you have witnessed poor practice of a healthcare team or a student, which could impact on the safety of others then you should follow the flowchart below.

Have you witnessed bad or poor practice with the potential to lead to harm to a patient, a member of the public, a fellow student or a member of staff? If you have, you should present the information to the appropriate person depending on where it happened (see below).

If it occurred in an acute trust? (e.g. Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust or The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. You should report to the clinical tutor and the Division Clinical Placement Lead

If it occurred in the University, a community pharmacy or another practice setting? You should report it to either the Head of Division, the Director of Undergraduate Teaching and Learning or the Practice Placement Lead

2. PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

2.1 Programme Aims and Objectives

Aims

The purpose of this programme is to produce pharmacy graduates committed to life-long learning who, having sufficient understanding of the principles and techniques of pharmaceutical sciences and after appropriate foundation training, are able to communicate and deliver pharmaceutical care in hospital range of care settings and are also able to take professional responsibility for the manufacture and testing of medicinal products.

Objectives

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) accredits the MPharm degree. All years of the MPharm degree are accredited to the 2011 standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists, years one and two of the programme are also working towards the 2021 standards for initial education and training of pharmacists. In this process they list a range of criteria that our degree has to fulfil. The requirements are detailed below, which have been taken directly from the GPhC website (http://pharmacyregulation.org) document titled, Accreditation of Pharmacy Degrees.

Processes

The student…

Is inculcated with a concern for a patient, normally above other considerations
Gains first-hand structured experience of practice, including contact with patients and practitioners of other healthcare professions
Is required to communicate with individuals and audiences
Is structured in the use of, and required to apply, library and other information resources
Is required to apply routinely, word-processing, spreadsheet, database, e-mail and information retrieval computer applications
Has brought to his/her attention the continuing professional development opportunities open to practising pharmacists
Is made aware of the advantages of, and encouraged to undertake, employment or attachment for vacation experience in pharmacy practice
Is encouraged both to be a participating member of the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA). Information on joining the BPSA will be available in Welcome Week.

The degree programme…

Is planned with reference to the GPhC’s learning outcomes and as an integrated programme. The inter-relationships of its component parts must be considered and made explicit
Seeks to develop students’ skills of self-management, team working and peer assessment
Has the features of positioning knowledge, understanding and skills in a pharmaceutical context and with reference to pharmacy practice
In the processes of curriculum development, benefits from the academic staff properly taking account of major advances and developments potentially impacting on pharmacy
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
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
Where appropriate and possible, has the student taught and learning alongside and together with students of other healthcare professions
Has pharmacy undergraduate teaching taking place alongside and with reference to research and other postgraduate activities

At the end of the MPharm degree, the GPhC expects the graduate to:

Take personal responsibility for his/her learning, developing a foundation for subsequent continuing professional development
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
Have undertaken structured problem-solving
Recognise ethical dilemmas in healthcare and science, and understand ways in which these might be managed by healthcare professionals, whilst taking account of relevant law
Appreciate and have 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
Have an understanding of the design, manufacture and performance of drug dosage forms, and be able to critically appreciate the inter-relationship between formulation, drug delivery and therapeutic effectiveness
Understand how medicines are developed, manufactured and brought to the market place
Have proven him/herself capable of performing pharmaceutical calculations accurately
Be 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.
Be aware of and understand systems for the quality assurance of products and pharmaceutical services. This includes the management of risk
Be able to design, improve and operate within standard operating procedures, including Patient Group Directions
Be able to supply medicines in accordance with legal and professional requirements
Undertake critical appraisal of information or conjecture in all forms of presentation
Apply appropriate research approaches and methods to manage scientific and practice problems
Have a foundation of knowledge, understanding and skills for promoting good health, diagnosing disease, and prescribing medicines
Understand and explain concepts of medicines management and pharmaceutical care.

2.2 Programme Specification

The MPharm programme specification can be found in the UG Pharmacy Community space on Blackboard. This is updated annually.

2.3 Programme Structure

The MPharm degree is organised on a modular basis in accordance with the principles for modular degree programmes approved by Senate. Each course unit has a credit rating and students are expected to study and pass 120 credits each year of the programme. The credit rating system and assessment procedure is detailed in Section 4 of this document.

All students take the same units in each year of the programme.

2.4 Changes in Curriculum

In order to ensure that we are delivering an up-to-date curriculum that meets the requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council and prepares students for current pharmacy practice, the Division occasionally has to make changes to the programme content and structure. These changes can be minor or major.

Students who interrupt their studies or are unable to progress from one academic year to the next within the same calendar year may face consequences if there have been curriculum changes. There may be occasions where students are required to complete units or parts of a unit in a different order to other students or to complete units or parts of a unit from an earlier academic year if teaching content has moved. The Division of Pharmacy and Optometry will deal with these situations on a case-by-case basis.

2.5 MPharm Course Units

Below is a list of the current course units for the MPharm programme. Course unit outlines will be available in the relevant course unit space in Blackboard at the start of the academic year.

First Year

PHAR 10000 Health & Safety

PHAR11001 Foundations of Pharmacy

PHAR11002 Gastrointestinal system, liver and kidneys

Second Year

PHAR22001 Immunity, Infection and Respiratory system

PHAR22002 Cardiovascular system

Third Year

PHAR 33001 Endocrine & musculoskeletal

PHAR 33002 Brain and neurotransmission

Fourth Year

PHAR 40010 SWAPS Academic Advisor Tutorials

PHAR 40101 Advanced Pharmaceutical Sciences

PHAR 40202 The Pharmacist

PHAR 40300 The Patient

PHAR 40400 Integrated Project

PHAR 40600 Integrated Professional Practice

2.6 Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

What is CPD?

The aim of CPD at undergraduate level is to improve your capacity to understand what and how you are learning and to review, plan and take responsibility for your own learning. This will help you to:

Become a more effective, independent and confident self-directed learner
Understand how you are learning and relate your learning to a wider context
Improve your general skills for study and career management
Articulate your personal goals and evaluate progress towards their achievement
Develop a positive attitude to lifelong learning

How will the CPD scheme operate?

At least one assessment per year throughout your 4-year programme will be devoted to your professional development where you will be able to receive feedback on your work. You will be prompted to reflect upon your own progress and development, identify your own strengths, pinpoint areas for improvement and decide upon a plan of action which can achieve those improvements. There are three professional development activities used on the MPharm; CPD records, reflective account of practice and peer discussion, which you will be able to discuss with your academic advisor. Over the period of your degree you will be building up a portfolio of your development which will be very useful in helping you develop your CV for job applications and for the interview itself. As it is a requirement of the GPhC that you make at least four CPD records, one reflective account and one peer discussion per year as a pharmacist, you need to be able to confidently record CPD during the MPharm programme.

For each CPD activity, you should follow the guidance on Blackboard and record your learning using the GPhC’s forms. Use the example CPD records provided and discuss with your academic advisor and your peers to help you become familiar with the process of recording your professional development.

2.7 Book Lists

The books required for each year of the programme are listed in the course unit outlines on Blackboard.

Reading matter is classified as either directed reading and it is deemed essential that you read those texts to gain a full understanding of the subject, or recommended texts which contain additional information that you will find useful in your studies.

Directed reading material listed for each course unit is potentially examinable. Students should therefore endeavour to make sure that they read and familiarise themselves with the selected material. Recommended reading is for additional information only and will not be examined unless specifically stated.

We do not expect students to purchase all books listed in the directed reading lists. All of these books are available in the University Library and many of the books are available electronically via the library. We would advise students to consider purchasing those books not available electronically that are either used extensively in a single unit or are used in more than one unit.

The PASS Scheme holds a second-hand book sale in semester 1 although care should be taken to ensure that the edition being sold is appropriate.

2.8 Integrated Assessment

When pharmacists are practising it is vital that they can apply their knowledge and skills from the different units of their MPharm. The Division have introduced integrated examinations in Years 1-3 of the MPharm to promote the integration of material within the taught units. To support students mastering the integration of material the Division have introduced Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) into years 1-3 and Team Based Learning (TBL) into year 4. The EBL and TBL sessions provide students with the opportunity to work in teams to integrate and apply knowledge and skills and to receive feedback on their performance.

What are EBL and TBL?

EBL and TBL offer a number of advantages over traditional didactic teaching. There is some evidence that they encourage greater student participation in learning at a much earlier stage in the process as well as encouraging the application of concepts.

EBL and TBL involve students learning together in small groups. They encourage students to prepare before the class adn the learning activity focuses on the application rather than memorisation of facts.

The essential elements of TBL are:

Groups – properly formed and managed

Students are organised into teams. Team members must be assigned and groups should be as diverse as possible. Five to seven members are ideal. Team members are assigned rather than self-selected to help avoid cliques forming

Accountability – must be accountable for individual and group work

Students are allocated pre-reading prior to the RAP – readiness assurance process. They are tested individually and as teams during the RAP.
1. iRAT – individual readiness assessment test
2. tRAT – team readiness assessment test
Accountability -students must be accountable for their own work and also for their contribution to the team effort. Group members must have the opportunity to provide feedback to their fellow group members on their contribution during the peer assessment.

Feedback – must be frequent and timely

Students receive immediate feedback on the tests and are able to appeal against any of the test items. The final stage of the RAP is a lecture which is usually brief and should address any areas of difficulty identified by the IRAT.

2.9 Pharmaceutical Calculations

During each stage of the MPharm programme, you will be introduced to a variety of calculations that are regularly undertaken by pharmacists, linked to the units that you are studying at the time. The overall aim of calculations in the MPharm is that by the time you graduate you will be able to competently deal with calculations that you may come across in practice. Most of the calculations that you will come across in practice you will have seen similar examples of during the MPharm, however this may not always be the case. So it is important that you also develop your numeracy skills to be able to confidently deal with any new types of calculations that you may have to perform.

Although most students enrolled on the MPharm will already have very good mathematical skills we recognise that there will be quite a wide variation in ability. Therefore, your existing skills will be assessed at the beginning of the course and regularly throughout the programme. You will be provided with a pharmaceutical calculations self-study materials each year with an associated self-test on Blackboard. This is in addition to all the unit-specific calculations you will be undertaking.

You will also undertake a calculations assessment each year, in which you will be required to achieve a minimum mark of 80%. There will be one opportunity to re-sit the calculations assessment each year; any subsequent attempts will be at the discretion of the Board of Examiners.

3. REGULATIONS FOR THE MPHARM DEGREE

3.1 Interruptions

Interruptions

If at any point in your studies you feel that you need to take some time away from your degree, you can interrupt your studies and return once you are ready. You need to be aware of the below implications when considering taking an interruption, so it is best to discuss any queries you may have with the Student Support and Wellbeing Team/Programme Director/Year Tutor/Academic Advisor.

There are a few important things to think about when deciding to interrupt:

Primarily, your wellbeing. If an interruption is the best decision for you, it should benefit your present and future wellbeing and support you completing your degree to the best of your abilities.
Tuition Fees
Accommodation (if living in UoM halls)
Possible changes to course content on return
Tier 4 students MUST be referred to the Student Immigration Team in SSC to discuss consequences of interruption (3.2 Policy on Interruptions to UG and PGT Programmes of Study)

If you then wish to request an interruption to study, either via email, during a welfare meeting, or following a meeting with an AA, you would need to complete an SHS Interruption Request Form, which can be obtained by contacting the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk. It is helpful to know at this stage how long you expect to interrupt for and when you might return.

You need to complete and sign the form, returning it back to the shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk email address with any appropriate supporting evidence. The form will then be sent to the relevant member of academic staff for approval (this may be the Programme Director, Year Tutor or Academic Advisor).

*Please note that students will be contacted by the Student Support and Wellbeing Team prior to their return to study/return from interruption*

3.2 Withdrawal from the Programme

If you decide that you are unable to continue your programme, you can withdraw from your studies. You will need to be aware of the below implications when considering withdrawing from the programme, so we would always advise discussing any queries you may have with the Student Support and Wellbeing Team/Programme Director/Year Tutor/Academic Advisor.

Tuition Fees
Accommodation (if living in UoM halls)
Future career prospects

If you then wish to withdraw from the programme, either via email, during a welfare meeting, or following a meeting with an AA, you will need to complete a SHS Withdrawal Request Form, which can be obtained by contacting the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk

Students need to complete and sign the form, returning it back to the shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk email address. No supporting evidence is required for a request to withdraw. The form will then be sent to the relevant member of academic staff for approval (this may be the Programme Director, Year Tutor or Academic Advisor)

Once the Student Support and Wellbeing Team has received the form which has been approved by the relevant member of staff, a standard confirmation letter will be sent to you confirming the details of the withdrawal.

3.3 Submission of Coursework

3.3.1 Submission

Coursework may only be submitted once the annual academic malpractice online learning and declaration have been completed. The deadline for completion of the online learning is week 6, semester 1.

All assessed work must be submitted by the deadline given. You are strongly advised not to leave submission until the last few minutes before the deadline in case uploading times are slowed. Material submitted at 12.01 for a 12.00 deadline will be classed as late.

3.3.2 Deadlines

A summary of deadlines for each year will be placed on Blackboard.

You should be aware that submission deadlines are in UK local time and it is your responsibility to ensure that you check relevant time zones.

3.3.3 Extending deadlines

If you experience difficulties that will prevent you from submitting assessed coursework on time, you can request an extension of up to one week. You need to provide a credible reason for your extension, in line with the extension policy, but you do not need to submit evidence to support your request.

Please think carefully about whether one-week is enough time to submit and how this will impact the rest of your workload before requesting an extension.

To apply for an extension, you will need to complete this form:

https://www.qualtrics.manchester.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_56LcBQhsaZ6Agsu

Extensions should be applied for by 15:00pm on the day of your original assessment submission date. Any applications after this time will not be considered and you will need to apply for mitigating circumstances.

If mitigating circumstances prevent you from submitting an extension request in advance, or mean that you miss the extended deadline that has been awarded, you should submit mitigating circumstances following the procedures outlined in the mitigating circumstances procedure. Please note, such requests for mitigation will only be considered where students provide a clear justification (including evidence) for failing to follow the normal extension request procedure.

Some DASS students are entitled to an automatic one-week extension, which does not need to be applied for. If you are a DASS student with this automatic extension and require longer than one-week, please complete the form above by 15:00pm on the day of your DASS submission date.

3.3.4 Penalty for late submission

Definition of late submission

Work submitted after the deadline without prior approval will be subject to a late penalty in accordance with the University Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes. The penalty applied is 10% of available marks deducted per day/24 hours (from the time of the original or extended deadline), until the assignment is submitted, or no marks remain.

Penalties for late submission relate to 24 hours/calendar days, so include weekends and weekdays, as well as bank holidays and University closure days.

The mark awarded for the piece of work will be reduced by:
10% of the available marks deducted if up to 24 hours (1 day) late
20% of the available marks deducted if up to 48 hours (2 days) late
30% of the available marks deducted if up to 72 hours (3 days) late
40% of the available marks deducted if up to 96 hours (4 days) late
50% of the available marks deducted if up to 120 hours (5 days) late
60% of the available marks deducted if up to 144 hours (6 days) late
70% of the available marks deducted if up to 168 hours (7 days) late
80% of the available marks deducted if up to 192 hours (8 days) late
90% of the available marks deducted if up to 216 hours (9 days) late
100% of the available marks deducted if up to 240 hours (10 days) late

If the assessment is submitted within 10 days of the deadline the assessment should be marked and feedback to the student provided. If this mark before the penalty is applied reaches the appropriate pass mark but the applied penalty results in a fail of the assessment, the student should not be required to resit the assessment as the original mark can be taken as the resit mark. Further information and examples can be found in the Policy and associated Guidance documents.

For work submitted more than 10 days late, it is regarded as a non-submission and need not be marked. In this case a mark of zero will be awarded and normal resit regulations will apply.

The sliding scale should only be applied to first-sit submissions. For all referred (resit) assessment, any late submission will automatically receive a mark of zero.

For further information:

Guidance on Late Submission

Policy on the Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes

3.4 Attendance monitoring and Student Ill Health

Students are expected to attend all scheduled teaching and learning sessions in every year of study, unless alternative arrangements or flexibility in attendance has been agreed for individual students, if unavoidable circumstances such as illness prevents you from attending or if absence has been authorised. This includes both on-campus teaching as well as online/blended, distance or remote learning modes of delivery.

If you are unable to attend a teaching session you should inform the lecturer/instructor in the first instance to catch up on missed learning and for support with teaching materials. For absences of 1-2 days, you do not need to tell the Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

If you expect to miss one or more full weeks of teaching, you must notify the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk, as well as your Academic Advisor. Please provide a reason for this to help the team provide appropriate guidance and signposting as required.

If your attendance is deemed to be too low, someone from the Student Support and Wellbeing team will be in touch to check in with you and make sure that you are ok. If the poor attendance continues without a valid reason, your Academic Advisor will be informed. If there is still no improvement in your attendance, you will be asked to a meeting with your Programme Director. This is in line with the university policy on monitoring attendance.

3.5 Mitigating Circumstances

Sometimes, factors beyond your control may interfere with your ability to attend to your academic studies. The University’s mitigating circumstances procedures exist to try to mitigate against the impact that this could have on your grades.

The full mitigating circumstances policy and guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/study-support/mitigating-circumstances/

We strongly recommend that you seek advice from a member of the Wellbeing team before submitting any claim for mitigating circumstances. You can contact them via shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk or shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk

Grounds for mitigation

Grounds for mitigation are unforeseeable or unpreventable circumstances that could have, or did have, a significant adverse effect on your academic performance.

Possible mitigating circumstances include:

significant illness or injury
the death or critical/significant illness of a close family member/dependant
significant family crises or major financial problems leading to acute stress
absence for public service e.g., jury service

Circumstances that will not normally be regarded as grounds for mitigation include:

holidays, moving house and events that were planned or could reasonably have been expected
assessments that are scheduled close together
misreading the timetable or misunderstanding the requirements for assessments
inadequate planning and time management
consequences of paid employment
exam stress or panic attacks not diagnosed as illness or supported by medical evidence
disruption in an examination room during the course of an assessment which has not been recorded by the invigilators

Applying for mitigation

You should inform us if you experience difficulties that may negatively affect your performance on assessed work. You can inform us of such difficulties by submitting an online Mitigating Circumstances Form. The form must be completed by you. It will ask you to provide details of your difficult circumstances and to list the assessments affected. It is important that you list each separate assessment, giving details of the course unit and the nature of the assessment (e.g. PSYC10711 Essay or PSYC10100 Week 4 Quiz). Your form should also be supported with evidence, which is independent and time-specific (for example, a doctor’s note which confirms that you were ill and indicates the period affected). Our Student Support and Wellbeing team can advise you on the information required on the form.

You should inform us of mitigating circumstances as soon as you become aware that they might affect your performance. Typically, mitigating circumstances must be submitted prior to the assessment taking place. In exceptional circumstances, where it is not possible to inform us in advance, you should submit your Mitigating Circumstances application as soon as possible after deadline or scheduled examination, supported by a credible and compelling explanation of why your claim could not be submitted in advance.

Please note, not informing the University of circumstances due to personal feelings, e.g., shame, embarrassment and pride, or having concerns over the confidential treatment of requests for mitigation, are not considered to be credible and compelling explanations as to why the circumstances could not be made known or shown by these deadlines. If the details of the mitigating circumstances are considered to be highly confidential, you can discuss with the wellbeing team shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk the best way to submit an application. The committee handle all requests for mitigation with sensitivity and due regard for confidentiality.

How mitigation is considered and applied

Evidence for personal and medical mitigating circumstances is considered by a mitigating circumstances committee. It is this committee’s role to determine whether there is evidence of mitigating circumstances, whether those circumstances could have had an effect on your performance, and the likely impact. The committee will consider all submissions and, where there is evidence that circumstances have been serious enough to have an effect on one or more elements of assessment, the committee will make recommendations to the exam board.

The exam board, at the recommendation of the mitigating circumstances committee, can take a limited number of actions to apply mitigation. In most cases, acceptance of the mitigation will involve revoking any late submission penalties or allowing for the missed or failed coursework/exam to be taken again as a first sit.

A claim for mitigating circumstances may be turned down for several reasons:

The circumstances detailed by the student are not regarded as grounds for mitigation under the Policy on Mitigating Circumstances
The supporting evidence does not cover the relevant period
The supporting evidence is not supplied by an appropriate (independent) source
The supporting evidence is deemed insufficient to support the student’s claim of the seriousness of impact on their assessment performance
The wording of the evidence supplied does not support the student’s claim e.g. the material does not provide a medical diagnosis
No evidence is provided, and the student has not given any explanation as to the reasons why nor indicated when evidence could be available
The evidence relates to a chronic condition which the student is already in receipt of support from the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS). This does not include instances where the student has an acute flare up of a pre-existing condition which may be accepted if properly evidenced and confirmed by DASS
The deadline for submitting mitigating circumstances has been missed, without a credible and compelling reason
The claim relates to an ongoing condition or circumstance previously used to claim mitigation where the Panel, on the earlier occasion, instructed the student that this mitigation could not be used again and may have instructed the student to access support from the Disability Advisory and Support Service

3.6 Progress Committee and Fitness to Practise Committee

The School of Health Sciences and the Faculty Fitness to Practise Committees consider matters of health and/or conduct for students registered on professional undergraduate programmes (see https://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=64361). The purpose of these Committees is to provide a fair and transparent mechanism for considering such matters and to reach a decision based on the evidence presented. The membership of the Committee will be drawn from staff within the Faculty. For each meeting, the Committee will comprise at least three staff (with at least one from the student’s programme or someone with the appropriate relevant professional registration) and an administrator. The Concern Review Panel will consider initial referrals and decide if a formal referral to the School or Faculty Fitness to Practise Committee is required. The Concern Review Panel (CRP) will inform students if any concerns have been raised about them. The CRP may wish to meet with the student to clarify matters before reaching a decision. The School Fitness to Practise Committee considers less serious concerns, while the Faculty Committee considers more serious ones.

Students referred to a Fitness to Practise Meeting will generally be given at least ten working days’ notice of the date and time of any formal meeting. The invitation letter will clearly state the reason(s) for the referral and inform students that they can submit a written statement beforehand. Before the Fitness to Practise meeting, the student will receive a set of papers, including a summary of the case, highlighting any previous relevant matters and any additional documentary evidence. The papers sent to the student will be identical to those sent to the committee members.

3.7 Sharing your information

The University may share appropriate information relating to your health and/or conduct with external organisations such as your professional employer(s) (for example, relevant NHS Trust, Professional and Statutory Regulatory Bodies (PSRB)), placement and training providers and/or regulator (such as [Note – ideally this should be tailored for each programme handbook, with the name of the relevant regulator included]).

This may occur where concerns in relation to your health and/or conduct arise and the University considers it necessary for them to be disclosed to one or more of the above organisations. The University’s Privacy Notice for Registered Students (which is accessible via this link: www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/data-collection-notice/) includes further information about how the University may use and process your personal data, including the legal basis and conditions which may be relevant to such processing (see section 6 of the Privacy Notice).

The University will only disclose special category data (such as data relating to your health) to a third party organisation where one of the additional conditions are satisfied (see section 9 of the Privacy Notice), including where processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.

3.8 Paid or Voluntary Employment

How many hours can I work each week?

It is important that work experience does not affect your academic study. We recommend that you work for no more than 15 hours a week during term-time. The weekend usually provides a good time to undertake work experience that does not affect your coursework.

3.9 Obtaining a Reference

Students will require references when seeking vacation employment and when seeking pre-registration training positions. Students should approach their academic adviser in the first instance to request a reference. Other University staff should only be approached for a reference after approaching their academic adviser (e.g. if a position required two academic referees). Academic advisers are normally very happy to act as referees for students applying for work experience relevant to their future careers, for students applying for foundation training places and for students seeking appropriate further training.

It is University policy that staff do not provide references unless students have requested that they do. This is because unauthorised third parties (credit-rating agencies etc.) may seek information about students. Students must approach staff before giving their names as referees.

3.10 Professional Behaviour/Fitness to Practise/Standards for Pharmacy Professionals

The Standards for Pharmacy Professionals published by the General Pharmaceutical Council applies to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy students.

You should be aware that this code covers behaviour on the course and in your personal life. Your behaviour on and off the course could have an impact on your fitness to practise as a pharmacist. This means, for example, that you have a duty to report to the University any criminal convictions, cautions or penalty notices for disorder. Criminal offences, particularly those involving dishonesty, or the use of drugs or alcohol, are likely to raise questions about an individual’s fitness to practise as a healthcare professional.

You should note that the Standards cover not just behaviour, but also your own health. This means that you have a duty to seek and follow advice from a suitably qualified professional about your health, and you should not rely on your own or another student’s assessment of the risk posed to patients (in particular, but also staff and fellow students) by your poor health. This is particularly important if you have, or suspect you have, a serious condition that could be passed on, or if you are receiving treatment that could affect your judgement or performance. Students should be willing to seek medical or occupational health advice, or both, and be referred for treatment and to engage in any recommended treatment programmes.

If you have any concerns about the Standards or your fitness to practise you should either discuss this with your academic advisor or access one of the support mechanisms listed in this handbook (see section 5).

The Standards are reproduced below. They are also available on Blackboard and the General Pharmaceutical Council website:

https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/sites/default/files/standards_for_pharmacy_professionals_may_2017_0.pdf

General Pharmaceutical Council Standards for pharmacy professionals, May 2017

Introduction

1.‘ Pharmacy professionals’ (pharmacists and pharmacy technicians) play a vital role in delivering care and helping people to maintain and improve their health, safety and wellbeing. The professionalism they demonstrate is central to maintaining trust and confidence in pharmacy.

2. Patients and the public have a right to expect safe and effective care from pharmacy professionals. We believe it is the attitudes and behaviours of pharmacy professionals in their day-to-day work which make the most significant contributions to the quality of care, of which safety is a vital part.

3. The standards for pharmacy professionals describe how safe and effective care
is delivered through ‘person-centred’ professionalism. The standards are a statement of what people expect from pharmacy professionals, and also reflect what pharmacy professionals have told us they expect of themselves and their colleagues.

4. At the heart of the standards is the principle that every person must be treated as an individual. Pharmacy professionals have an important role in involving, supporting and enabling people to make decisions about their health, safety and wellbeing. For example, what is important to one person managing their short or long-term condition may not be important to another.

The standards for pharmacy professionals

5. There are nine standards that every pharmacy professional is accountable
for meeting. The standards apply to all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. We know that pharmacy professionals practise in a number of sectors and settings and may use different ways to communicate with the people they provide care to. The standards apply whatever their form of practice. And even when pharmacy professionals do not provide care directly to patients and the public, their practice can indirectly have an impact on the safe and effective care that patients and the public receive, and on the confidence of members of the public in pharmacy as a whole.

6. The standards need to be met at all times, not only during working hours. This is because the attitudes and behaviours of professionals outside of work can affect the trust and confidence of patients and the public in pharmacy professionals.

7. The meaning of each of the standards is explained, and there are examples of the types of attitudes and behaviours that pharmacy professionals should demonstrate. The examples may not apply in all situations.

8. The standards include the term ‘person- centred care’ and refer to a ‘person’ throughout. This means ‘the person receiving care’. The term may also apply to carers or patients’ representatives depending on the situation.

The standards and pharmacy students and trainees

9. The standards for pharmacy professionals are relevant to all pharmacy students and trainees while they are on their journey towards registration and practice. The standards explain the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that will be expected of students and trainees if they apply to join the register.

10. They should be interpreted in the context of education and training and used as a tool to prepare students and trainees for registration as a pharmacy professional.

11. Pharmacy students and trainees should consider the standards as they move closer to registration and professional practice, and should read them alongside other relevant documents that are provided by initial education and training providers.

The standards and registration

12. The standards are designed to reflect what it means to be a pharmacy professional. They are also at the heart of initial education and training, registration and renewal as a pharmacy professional, and continuing fitness to remain registered.

Applying the standards

13. Pharmacy professionals are personally accountable for meeting the standards and must be able to justify the decisions they make.

14. We expect pharmacy professionals to consider these standards, their legal duties and any relevant guidance when making decisions.

15. The standards and supporting explanations do not list the legal duties pharmacy professionals have, as all pharmacy professionals must keep to the relevant laws. Relevant guidance is published by a number of organisations, including professional leadership bodies, other regulators, the NHS, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, as well as by the GPhC.

16. There will be times when pharmacy professionals are faced with conflicting legal and professional responsibilities. Or they may be faced with complex situations that mean they have to balance competing priorities. The standards provide a framework to help them when making professional judgements. Pharmacy professionals must work in partnership with everyone involved, and make sure the person they are providing care to is their first priority.

Standards for pharmacy professionals

All pharmacy professionals contribute to delivering and improving the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public. Professionalism and safe and effective practice are central to that role.

Pharmacy professionals must:

1 provide person-centred care

2 work in partnership with others

3 communicate effectively

4 maintain, develop and use their professional knowledge and skills

5 use professional judgement

6 behave in a professional manner

7 respect and maintain the person’s confidentiality and privacy

8 speak up when they have concerns or when things go wrong

9 demonstrate leadership

1 Provide person-centred care

Applying the standard

Every person is an individual with their own values, needs and concerns. Person-centred care
is delivered when pharmacy professionals understand what is important to the individual and then adapt the care to meet their needs – making the care of the person their first priority. All pharmacy professionals can demonstrate ‘person-centredness’, whether or not they provide care directly, by thinking about the impact their decisions have on people. There are a number of ways to meet this standard, and below are examples of the attitudes and behaviours expected.