SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION:

Master of Pharmacy in Public Health Pharmacy and Management

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
116546	Master of Pharmacy in Public Health Pharmacy and Management
ORIGINATOR
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Preventive Health
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	180	Not Applicable	NQF Level 09	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered		EXCO 0821/24	2020-03-26	2027-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30		2031-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The purpose of this professional Master's qualification is to extend the public health and pharmaceutical management competencies of pharmacists to become specialists in the field of public health pharmacy, apply their expertise in this field and add value to the provision of pharmaceutical services within the health system. Successful completion of this qualification will enable specialist pharmacists to contribute to public health outcomes and pharmaceutical services management. The qualification is inherently a practice-based degree with a significant component of work-integrated learning.

The learner will demonstrate the following attributes after completion of this qualification:

Perform acts and services pertaining to the profession of a pharmacist.

Lead and manage surveillance and assessment of the pharmaceutical services.

Lead projects to protect and promote health and well-being, including communicable disease control and environmental health.

Manage, analyse and interpret information and statistics.

Develop and analyse pharmaceutical public health policy for the better use of existing and new medicines/technologies and rationale use of all medication, to improve health services.

Provide strategic leadership for medicine supply management.

Provide education and training related to public health and management.

Manage knowledge and transfer of research evidence into practice.

Develop policies and procedures for public health and management.

Manage, analyse, interpret and advise on pharmacoeconomic information for rational use of medicines.

Perform research, teach and publish in the field of public health and management.

Rationale:
There is a need in South Africa, especially with the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) and the re-engineering of primary healthcare, for pharmacists to have the necessary skills and expertise to implement public health standards and management principles in the delivery of pharmaceutical services to the population. This need is in line with current local and international efforts to stop the increase of chronic non-communicable diseases. The commitment of pharmacists to combat non-communicable diseases (including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and cancers) is a culmination of the Durban Declaration issued at a conference jointly hosted by the Commonwealth Pharmacists' Association, the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa and the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) in 2011.

With this qualification, specialist pharmacist training aligns to the needs of the health system. It will contribute to capacity building for better management of pharmaceutical services, provide for professional recognition of the pharmacist's role in public health activities and preserve pharmacists, as a scarce resource, in South Africa.

The WHO and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society identified three main public health functions or domains. The pharmacy profession has a role to play across all three areas, namely; Health protection which entails the assessment and monitoring of the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities.

This qualification meets the needs of pharmacists who have completed the Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) and who wish to further their competencies in the field of pharmaceutical services and develop their careers in the public health pharmacy practice area. An increase in the number of pharmacists with specialised knowledge in public health pharmacy will contribute to capacity building in this field, for the overall development of healthcare in South Africa.

Pharmacists with this qualification will practise at a higher level and be senior in the health system. Positions of practice would include, for example, pharmaceutical management in the public sector (facility pharmacy manager, sub-district or district pharmacist, provincial head office, policy or human resources, medical depot, national-level positions), academia (especially pharmacy practice or public health), private sector (medical aid, community pharmacy), non-profit organisation (USAID-funded, MSH, MSF), general management positions in health systems or hospital management (public, private, non-profit) and public-private partnerships (part of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and NHI).

The development and introduction of this qualification and curriculum outline will assist higher education institutions in the training of these specialist pharmacists who can register with the Council as specialists in public health pharmacy. Although the sub-field for this qualification at present is Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration, it also includes preventative health, health promotion, health education, environmental health and occupational health from the sub-field of Public Health.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The institution is currently developing its own policy on RPL. In the interim, reference is made to RPL as stipulated by the 'National policy for the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning, SAQA 2013'. Because this will be a professional qualification, entrance into the qualification will only be for pharmacists.

The RPL will therefore be selective, will only apply to pharmacists and be considered as per the institution's General Rule (GM 1) Admission to study for a Master's qualification:
A learner applying for admission to a master's qualification must have: the special recommendation of the school concerned based on appropriate assessment of the potential and quality of prior studies.

If a learner does not have a Bachelors or Honours qualification, he or she may be admitted to the Master's study if Senate, through the recognition of RPL is satisfied that such a candidate has reached the standard of an Honours qualification. Based on the above rule, if a candidate does not have a 4-year Bachelor of Pharmacy qualification or a 3-year Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and an Honour's qualification, he or she may be admitted to the programme provided that Senate through RPL is satisfied that such a candidate has reached the standard of an Honour's qualification.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum admission requirements for this qualification are:

Bachelor of Pharmacy, NQF Level 8 or equivalent.
And

Registration with the South African Pharmacy Council as a pharmacist post community service or as an academic intern.
And

Exposure to a public health pharmacy and management environment and/or placement in the area of specialisation.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 9 totalling 240 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 224 Credits:

Management and Leadership Principles, 24 Credits.

Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 24 Credits.

Management of Pharmaceutical Services, 20 Credits.

Pharmaceutical Public Health Management, 28 Credits.

Medicines Selection and Procurement, 12 Credits.

Pharmacoeconomics, 12 Credits.

Medicines Supply and Distribution, 12 Credits.

Rational Medicines Use and Monitoring, 12 Credits.

Pharmacy Research Mini-Dissertation, 80 Credits.

Elective Module, Level 9: 16 Credits:

Public Health Pharmacy, 16 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Practise as a specialist pharmacist within the regulatory and policy framework of public health pharmacy.
2. Apply basic epidemiology and biostatistics in disease prevention, health promotion, healthcare delivery and policy development.
3. Apply strategic management and leadership to ensure an effective and efficient health system.
4. Implement the concepts and principles of public health to protect and promote general health and wellbeing.
5. Provide strategic leadership for pharmaceuticals management in the health system.
6. Design and implement strategies for the rational use of pharmaceuticals to improve health services.
7. Conduct research and prepare for publication in one of the specialisation fields of public health pharmacy and management.
8. Deepen knowledge of work in research interest area for transition to independent work in public health pharmacy and management.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Interpret and explain the sources of South African law, its development and the interrelationship between the constitution, legislation and the functioning of the courts.

Identify, analyse and interpret relevant legislation and policy in the delivery and management of public health pharmacy services.

Examine and evaluate the implementation of National Health Insurance within the regulatory and policy framework of public health.

Analyse the Bill of Rights (equity), Patient Rights Charter and Batho Pele Principles and appraise their application to the health sector.

Appraise and apply the process of development and amendment of legislation and policies.

Identify, appraise and apply professional responsibilities and obligations within an ethical framework in providing optimal care to communities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Critically evaluate and use the common causes of death, disease and disability in a particular community in the planning and design of health programmes.

Identify, analyse and evaluate the main determinants of health for potential implementation into health policy and health services.

Conduct and interpret a community health needs assessment to plan healthcare and public health programmes.

Apply the principles and methods of epidemiology in public health.

Use epidemiological data to appraise the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare delivery.

Design appropriate studies and surveillance tools to determine causes of disease, prognosis, prevention and the evaluation of therapy.

Design and demonstrate the ability to implement in practice interventions to prevent and control disease.

Apply key biostatistical concepts and methods to summarise, display, evaluate and interpret medical and healthcare data.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Identify, appraise and adhere to principles of good corporate governance.

Apply appropriate management styles and skills at the different managerial levels to ensure efficient and effective service.

Appraise and practise effective leadership in a healthcare environment.

Analyse and apply concepts and principles of change management in areas of organisational development.

Evaluate and apply coaching, mentoring and counselling skills to improve organisational performance.

Apply motivational theories in performance management and development of human resources.

Establish and maintain effective organisational and interdisciplinary teams to ensure quality patient care.

Apply strategic management in the design of a public health project to promote community health.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

Outline and appraise the context of the public health environment.

Critically explore and analyse health systems.

Explain, appraise and apply the design, implementation, evaluation and review of public health policies and procedures.

Explain and evaluate the application of the pharmaceutical policy process at the relevant levels of pharmaceutical service delivery.

Demonstrate the ability to develop public health policies for the management and rational use of medicines to improve health services.

Analyse policy instruments for the delivery of pharmaceutical services.

Compile a policy and procedure manual for the healthcare organisation.

Demonstrate the ability to implement policy instruments and a policy and procedure manual.

Design and implement screening services for health promotion.

Apply social, psychological and behavioural aspects in health promotion, education and the design of interventions for the health and wellbeing of the community.

Apply and appraise the principles of cold chain management and immunisation according to required standards.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

Evaluate and critically appraise access to pharmaceuticals in South Africa and strategies for improved pharmaceuticals availability.

Appraise and apply the essential medicines concept in the selection and procurement of medicines for essential medicines lists

Critically evaluate and appraise information sources, literature and research on pharmaceuticals and practices for evidence-based decision-making.

Analyse and implement the framework and components of pharmaceutical supply systems.

Utilise data systems for decision-making and to ensure availability of pharmaceuticals.

Appraise and apply good financial management principles to ensure continuous supply of pharmaceuticals.

Demonstrate the ability to manage and develop human resources for effective supply of pharmaceuticals.

Demonstrate the ability to implement a quality and risk management programme for effective pharmaceutical supply and use.

Design tools to monitor and evaluate the pharmaceutical supply chain system and provide feedback to relevant stakeholders.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:

Evaluate the use of pharmaceuticals within the medicines management cycle and health system.

Appraise and enhance rational medicine use through implementation of and participation in all the activities of the pharmaceutical and therapeutics committee by all stakeholders.

Distinguish and apply the different types of costs in pharmacoeconomic analysis.

Appraise and correctly apply the appropriate pharmacoeconomic tools to conduct analyses for the rational use of pharmaceuticals.

Critique pharmacoeconomic literature for application in pharmacoeconomic analyses and decision-making.

Construct a simple model for pharmacoeconomic evaluation and decisionmaking.

Identify and analyse priorities for rational medicine use interventions and design strategies for interventions.

Demonstrate the ability to implement and monitor medicine use interventions.

Design, apply and evaluate programmes for quality assurance of medicine use (e.g. antimicrobial stewardship, adherence, medicine safety, medication errors, infection prevention and control).

Design pharmacovigilance and surveillance programmes for patient safety.

Demonstrate the ability to implement pharmacovigilance, surveillance and quality assurance programmes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:

Critically evaluate information sources, literature and research on medicines and practices in terms of evidence for decision-making and implementation in practice.

Apply the principles of research methodology in the development of a research protocol and obtain ethical clearance.

Conduct research in accordance with established research methodology and ethics, as well as Good Clinical Practice where necessary.

Analyse data, interpret findings and/or results and formulate conclusions and recommendations.

Write and submit a technical report, manuscript for publication or minor dissertation and obtain approval.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:

Perform a literature review of a chosen elective field of public health pharmacy and management.

Demonstrate enhance skills in scientific analysis and debate in the chosen elective field of public health pharmacy and management.

Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the chosen elective field of public health pharmacy and management, for transition to independent practice.

Integrated Assessment:
A combination of integrated assessment strategies, which will combine both formative and summative assessment and evaluation, will be used to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved. Assessments may include, but are not limited to, the following strategies, namely, written assessments and examinations, written assignments, case studies (individual and group), electronic quizzes, journal clubs, self-assessment strategies, peer-group assessment and preceptor evaluation, blog discussions, simulations, role play and work-place assessments, oral presentations of quality improvement projects (QIPs) (work-integrated learning), posters of QIPs (of work-integrated learning), portfolio of evidence (of work-based learning), technical reports (of work-integrated learning), dissertation, and manuscript.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The institution designed the professional Master's Degree in Public Health Pharmacy and generated the standards and guidelines as displayed in the qualifications offered by institutions in Tanzania, Australia, the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom. Although these countries offer training in pharmacy administration, public health and management, the training is not identical to the qualification in this document. Certain courses or modules offered by the qualifications are comparable and were therefore used for benchmarking.

The following examples are provided to illustrate the curriculum's competitiveness and comparability among both developed and developing countries.

Tanzania:
The Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, offers two qualifications, of which some of the components are comparable with the qualification. The School of Pharmacy offers a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Management, which is a four-semester qualification programme, each semester consisting of 24 weeks. The qualification contains a dissertation comprising 45% of the total credits for the degree. This is similar to the coursework of the South African general Master's qualification , which contains a research project comprising a minimum of 60 Credits at NOF Level 9, and culminates in a mini- dissertation, technical report, one or more creative performances or works, or a series of peer-reviewed articles or other research-equivalent outputs. The qualification programme contains the following courses, viz. Bioethics, Epidemiology and Research, Healthcare Delivery and Pharmaceutical Regulatory Framework, General Management, Financial Management, Educational Principles and Practices for the Health Sciences Professionals, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management, Managing Rational Use of Medicines, Drug and Commodity Management in Health Facilities, Pharmaceutical Marketing, Fieldwork in Pharmaceutical Management, Dissertation.

The School of Public Health and Social Sciences offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) Executive Track, which is a modular qualification the aim of the qualification is to train learners to become public health specialists in government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as national and international organisations. The Research Methods module constitutes 8.5% and the Dissertation 20% of the total credits of the MPH, which is in line with the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework recommendation for professional Master's qualifications in South Africa.

The MPH qualification contains the following courses, which illustrates the similarity with the qualification outlined in this document, namely, Principles of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Implementing Change, Special Public Issues, Health Policy, Planning and Management, Health Economics Financing and Evaluation, Research Methods, and Dissertation.

Australia: Queensland:
The James Cook University School of Pharmacy offers a Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health over a period of two years. They define pharmaceutical public health as the development of pharmacy services and expertise to enhance the health and wellbeing of a whole population. The qualification is designed to enable pharmacists to focus beyond the specific needs of individual patients and meet health goals for the whole community. The course is structured for pharmacists who want to learn the principles of public health and develop services in their different fields of practice. These principles are in line with the scope of practice for this qualification. The course consists of the following three core subjects, viz. Epidemiology for public health, Management of pharmaceutical services, and an option between public health management and public health leadership and crisis management.

For the qualification to be awarded, learners should complete a dissertation, the three core subjects (above) and additional elective subjects.

United States: Boston University:
Boston University School of Public Health offers a Public Health Pharmaceuticals qualification for learners to gain knowledge and expertise to address pharmaceutical issues from a public health perspective. The qualification is offered at a Master's level for learners considering careers in the pharmaceutical industry, service delivery qualification, or pharmaceutical policy-making agencies. The pharmaceuticals qualifications prepares learners for positions in both the public and private sectors, including positions in federal and state government agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, contracting research organisations and international agencies. Learners are given a solid foundation in pharmaceuticals while providing flexibility to tailor their coursework towards a specific career path in policy, industry, or health qualifications and non-governmental organisations.

The following three main tracks are offered, with a mandatory 'Pharmaceuticals in Public Health' course for all tracks: Policy track - viz. Health policy, Health services research methods, Pharmacovigilance, Clinical trials, Patent law, Insurance systems, and Qualitative research methods. Industry track: Project management - namely, Good clinical practice, Discovery and development, Clinical trials, Regulatory affairs, and Intellectual property. Service delivery track - viz. Project management, Infectious diseases, Rational drug management and medication adherence, Vaccines, Corruption, and Qualitative research.

United States: Virginia:
The School of Business, Virginia Commonwealth University, offers a combined Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA). The qualification is designed to take advantage of efficiencies and electives in both the PharmD and MBA qualifications and seeks to prepare pharmacists for careers that encompass pharmacy and business theories and principles. Learners in the combined programme can earn both qualifications and save a year or more over the time required for enrolling in the programmes separately. To obtain both qualifications, learners need to take all the pharmacy courses, the seven business foundation courses, the nine MBA core courses and three elective courses (see below).

Many of the topics covered in the MBA programme compare well with the topics covered in the qualification. Business Foundation courses are: Fundamentals of Accounting, Concepts in Economics, Financial Concepts of Management, Statistical Elements of Quantitative Management, Fundamentals of the Legal Environment of Business, Management Theory and Practice, and Concepts and Issues in Marketing whilst MBA courses comprise of Managerial Economics, Organisation Leadership and Project Team Management, Financial Management, Remainder of the Advanced Programme, Managerial Accounting, Information Systems for Managers, Information Systems for Business Intelligence, Business Policy, Operations Management, and Marketing Management.

United Kingdom: Professional Standards for Public Health Practice for Pharmacy:
The Professional Standards for Public Health Practice for Pharmacy, published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in the UK, set out a best practice framework for the delivery of public health services. The standards are intended to provide a framework to help pharmacy teams, commissioners and those contracting services to design, implement, deliver and monitor high quality public health practice through pharmacy, regardless of the pharmacy settings from which services are delivered.

The following nine key areas are covered by the standards, namely, surveillance and assessment of the population's health and wellbeing: Data are collected from a variety of sources to support a better understanding of the health and wellbeing needs of a population or community, Public health intelligence: Information and analysis of the health and wellbeing needs of the population or community are used to inform the development of pharmacy public health practice, Assessing the evidence of effectiveness of health and healthcare interventions, programmes and services: Population health is improved by the assessment and application of evidence-based public health interventions, programmes and public health services, Health improvement: Pharmacists and their teams improve the health and wellbeing of the population and help to reduce health inequalities by: proactively promoting health and wellbeing messages; supporting and enabling people to adopt healthier lifestyles and to take responsibility for their own and their family's health; and supporting the concept of self-care, Health protection: The population's health and wellbeing are protected by supporting the prevention and transmission of communicable and other infectious diseases, screening for risk factors and disease, ensuring prudent use of antibiotics in helping to mitigate the risks of antimicrobial resistance, protecting against pharmaceutical hazards, and supporting the pharmacy response to an emergency, Health and social service quality (also known as Healthcare Public Health): Innovative, high quality pharmacy public health services improve health outcomes and ensure fair and effective targeting of available resources, Policy and strategy development and implementation: Local and national policies and strategies are developed and implemented in accordance with local and national needs to improve and protect the health of the community or population, Strategic leadership and collaborative working for health: Pharmacists and their teams take the lead in ensuring pharmacy's contribution to public health is recognised strategically and collaboratively in partnership with other practitioners and agencies to improve and protect the health and wellbeing of populations, helping to reduce health inequalities, and Academic public health: Everyone working in pharmacy has a role in contributing to the evidence base for the contribution of pharmacy in improving and protecting the health of the population. This is strengthened by academic research and pharmacy practice research across the profession.

Conclusion: Although the Master of Pharmacy in Public Health Pharmacy and Management is a unique qualification and is geared towards meeting the specific needs of South Africa, it is evident that it compares favourably with modules or courses offered by postgraduate qualifications internationally, as well as the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of the UK's recently published Professional Standards for Public Health Practice for Pharmacy.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.

Horizontal Articulation:

Master of Public Health, Level 9.

Vertical Articulation:

Doctor of Pharmacy, Level 10.

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

NOTES

N/A

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

NONE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

1.	Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University