The LICQual Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy (PgD Psychiatric Pharmacy) is an advanced qualification designed for healthcare professionals seeking to specialise in psychiatric pharmacy and mental health care. This programme equips learners with the knowledge, clinical expertise, and practical skills necessary to manage complex psychiatric conditions, optimise medication therapy, and provide safe, evidence-based care to patients with mental health needs.
This postgraduate diploma is ideal for pharmacists, clinical practitioners, and healthcare professionals who wish to enhance their career prospects, broaden their professional knowledge, and actively engage in Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Learners will gain an advanced understanding of psychiatric disorders, psychopharmacology, patient assessment, risk management, and treatment planning, enabling them to contribute effectively to multidisciplinary mental health teams.
Centres delivering the LICQual Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy are required to maintain high standards of education and training. This includes employing competent and qualified staff, providing access to up-to-date learning materials, and ensuring all necessary facilities and resources are available to support learner success. By meeting these requirements, centres guarantee that learners receive high-quality instruction and practical experience essential for professional advancement in psychiatric pharmacy.
By completing this diploma, learners will strengthen their clinical expertise, develop specialised skills in managing psychiatric medications, and position themselves as leaders in mental health pharmacy practice. This qualification empowers learners to improve patient outcomes, enhance medication safety, and confidently progress to senior or specialist roles within the healthcare sector.
Course Overview
Qualification Title
LICQual Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy (PgD Psychiatric Pharmacy)
Total Units
6
Total Credits
120
GLH
600
Qualification #
LICQ2201232
Qualification Specification
To enroll in the LICQualLevel 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy (PgD Psychiatric Pharmacy), applicants must meet the following criteria:
|
Qualification# |
Unit Title |
Credits |
GLH |
|---|---|---|---|
|
LICQ2201232-1 |
Advanced Principles of Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy |
20 |
100 |
|
LICQ2201232-2 |
Clinical Assessment and Medication Management in Psychiatry |
20 |
100 |
|
LICQ2201232-3 |
Medication Safety and Risk Management in Psychiatric Practice |
20 |
100 |
|
LICQ2201232-4 |
Evidence-Based Practice and Research in Psychiatric Pharmacy |
20 |
100 |
|
LICQ2201232-5 |
Ethical, Legal, and Professional Considerations in Psychiatry |
20 |
100 |
|
LICQ2201232-6 |
Advanced Therapeutic Interventions and Specialist Psychiatric Management |
20 |
100 |
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
Unit 1: Advanced Principles of Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy
- Analyse neurobiology and pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders
- Evaluate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in psychiatric patients
- Review evidence-based guidelines for antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, and anxiolytics
- Assess risks and benefits of polypharmacy in mental health care
Unit 2: Clinical Assessment and Medication Management in Psychiatry
- Conduct comprehensive psychiatric assessments
- Perform medication reviews to optimise therapy and minimise adverse effects
- Integrate comorbidities, hepatic/renal function, and patient-specific factors into treatment decisions
- Apply personalised medicine approaches in psychiatric care
Unit 3: Medication Safety and Risk Management in Psychiatric Practice
- Identify and manage adverse drug reactions and toxicities
- Implement strategies for safe prescribing and monitoring of psychiatric medications
- Apply pharmacovigilance principles in mental health care
- Comply with regulatory and safety frameworks in psychiatric pharmacy
Unit 4: Evidence-Based Practice and Research in Psychiatric Pharmacy
- Critically appraise psychiatric research and clinical trials
- Apply research methods to improve clinical decision-making
- Develop interventions to enhance patient outcomes in psychiatric care
- Use data to support policy, protocol development, and evidence-based practice
Unit 5: Ethical, Legal, and Professional Considerations in Psychiatry
- Examine ethical dilemmas in psychiatric pharmacy, including capacity and consent
- Understand legal responsibilities in prescribing and dispensing psychiatric medications
- Analyse patient confidentiality and safeguarding issues
- Promote professional standards and reflective practice in mental health care
Unit 6: Advanced Therapeutic Interventions and Specialist Psychiatric Management
- Design individualised treatment plans for complex psychiatric patients
- Evaluate specialist interventions for severe or treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions
- Implement multidisciplinary approaches in psychiatric care
- Monitor, review, and optimise therapy to improve patient outcomes
- Experienced pharmacists seeking to specialise in psychiatric pharmacy
- Clinical practitioners aiming to improve patient outcomes in mental health care
- Healthcare professionals involved in prescribing, monitoring, and managing psychiatric medications
- Nurses, physician associates, and allied health professionals working with patients with mental health conditions
- Practitioners in multidisciplinary teams managing complex psychiatric disorders and polypharmacy
- Clinicians looking to apply personalised medicine and evidence-based interventions in psychiatry
- Professionals aiming for senior, specialist, or leadership roles in pharmacy and mental health services
- Learners committed to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and advancing their professional expertise
- Individuals seeking internationally recognised postgraduate qualifications in psychiatric pharmacy
- Professionals dedicated to delivering safe, evidence-based, and patient-centred mental health care
LICQual is designed to empower learners with advanced clinical knowledge, practical skills, and professional competence, enabling them to take a leading role in psychiatric pharmacy practice and improve patient outcomes in mental health settings.
Centres delivering the LICQual Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy must have qualified staff, up-to-date learning materials, practical facilities, and all necessary resources to ensure high-quality training and learner success.
Centre Requirements
- Centres must employ competent and qualified teaching staff with expertise in psychiatric pharmacy and mental health care
- Access to current textbooks, clinical guidelines, and digital learning resources for effective teaching
- Availability of practical facilities or simulated environments to support applied learning
- Systems in place to provide learner support, mentoring, and academic feedback
- Compliance with international standards and regulatory requirements for postgraduate pharmacy education
- Access to reliable internet, online platforms, and research databases for study and assignments
- Capability to deliver evidence-based, high-quality training ensuring learners achieve all learning outcomes
- Procedures to monitor learner progress and assessment effectively
- Commitment to maintaining Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for staff and learners
- Adequate administrative and academic resources to manage enrolment, assessment, and certification
Assessment and Verification
All units within this qualification are subject to internal assessment by the approved centre and external verification by LICQual. The qualification follows a criterion-referenced assessment approach, ensuring that learners meet all specified learning outcomes.
To achieve a ‘Pass’ in any unit, learners must provide valid, sufficient, and authentic evidence demonstrating their attainment of all learning outcomes and compliance with the prescribed assessment criteria. The Assessor is responsible for evaluating the evidence and determining whether the learner has successfully met the required standards.
Assessors must maintain a clear and comprehensive audit trail, documenting the basis for their assessment decisions to ensure transparency, consistency, and compliance with quality assurance requirements.
