Patient group directions: training practitioners for competency.

Abstract

Since the mid-1990s, three new initiatives have been introduced by the government to allow the prescribing of medicines by practitioners other than doctors: extended nurse prescribing, supplementary prescribing and patient group directions. Professional education and assessment is vital to ensure that these systems operate safely. After the implementation of patient group directions within a regional cancer centre, a training programme was developed, incorporating an assessment framework for competency development.