Six months of the EPS Simulator. How is it being used to enhance prescribing education?

Can you believe it’s been six months since we launched the EPS Simulator? Since then we’ve seen institutions who have started integrating it into their teaching programmes and we’re already hearing some really encouraging feedback from educators and students.

 

How does it work?

One of the biggest challenges in prescribing education is giving students meaningful exposure to decision making before they step into a clinical environment. Reading about prescribing and actually doing it are very different experiences, and the gap between the two has been a challenge for educators.

 

The EPS Simulator was built to replicate the kind of electronic prescribing system students will encounter in hospitals and clinics, it gives them a space to think through complex decisions, make mistakes safely and develop the judgement that comes with practice. With over 4,000 medications available and the ability to build scenarios around detailed patient histories, clinical presentations and allergies, educators have enormous flexibility in how they use it.

 

What institutions are doing with it

It has been really insightful to see how institutions are shaping the Simulator around their own curricula. When students engage with a realistic prescribing interface regularly, it changes how they approach the subject altogether.

 

During Pharmacology 2025 in December last year, Professor Kurt Wilson and Hiten Mitha from the University of Manchester presented on how they have been integrating the EPS Simulator into their programme.

 

The University needed “something that mirrors those clinical processes but doesn’t have all the hindrances that the real clinical systems have.” With 2,500 students spread across different NHS trusts, they also needed one platform that worked for everyone.

 

They ran a pilot with final year students through two immersive sessions. One was a secondary care session that placed students in the role of a foundation doctor looking after a ward of five patients, working through prioritisation, prescribing decisions and team communication. Facilitators act as nurses, radiologists and other clinical staff, so students can realistically engage as they would in practice. There was also a primary care session that consisted of a  two hour GP session, covering acute appointments, duty doctor tasks, prescription reviews and complex polypharmacy cases.

 

Despite no prior introduction to the Simulator, students got to grips with it quickly. The team noted that the transition was straightforward and the immersive format clearly landed well. In the words of the team: “it’s not just about writing a prescription, it’s about how you administer it, how you communicate this to the other healthcare professionals and the patient.” That broader picture is exactly what the sessions are designed to bring out.

 

The response from the Manchester University team was really encouraging to hear. They described the sessions as genuinely immersive, with students engaging in a way that felt true to clinical practice rather than just an assessment exercise. The combination of prescribing decisions, prioritisation and real-time communication gave students a much richer experience than working through questions in isolation. 

 

Feedback from educators and students continues to shape how we develop the tool, and there is plenty more to come. If you’d like to see the EPS Simulator in action and explore how it might fit into your prescribing curriculum, we’d love to show you around.

 

Request a demonstration at www.bpsassessment.com/eps-simulator

Prescribing Safety Progress in 2025

In 2025, BPS Assessment continued to develop and deliver digital learning and assessment tools that support safer prescribing across education and training settings. Over the past year, our focus has been on expanding the reach of the BPS Assessment Hub, improving our platform and products, and responding to the needs of the wider prescribing community.

 

The Hub provides a comprehensive platform for prescribing learning, practice and assessment. Developed with support from UK experts and aligned with current clinical guidance, it supports educators in delivering structured prescribing education, whilst helping learners build the skills required for safe practice. As prescribing safety remains a concern, reliable and well-designed digital tools play an important role in supporting and standardising teaching and assessment.

 

Engagement with the platform continued to grow throughout 2025. More than 26,000 users accessed the Hub, with 18,000 learners actively using our assessment and practice resources. These figures reflect ongoing confidence from universities, training providers, and healthcare organisations using the Hub to support their prescribing programmes.

 

International uptake of the Hub also continued to grow – in addition to strong use across the UK, organisations and independent learners accessed the platform from Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates and other regions, demonstrating its relevance across broad education and training environments.

 

In the past year, we also saw a strong uptake of our assessment resources. The Prescribing Papers Bundle was the most purchased product, combining our three Practice Papers in a discounted bundle. With 120 questions, a 60-item mock exam and detailed feedback, the bundle supports programme delivery and learner preparation for the Prescribing Skills Assessment. In addition, 3,800 learners used PSA Prep, our free resources designed to complement teaching programmes and support medical students with top concerns. 

 

We also continued to invest in innovation, including the development of new tools such as the EPS Simulator, which enables learners to practise prescribing in a simulated electronic prescribing environment.

 

These developments highlight our commitment to supporting organisations and learners with prescribing education as we look forward to a new year of innovation. If your organisation is interested in learning more about how the Hub might support your programmes, please get in touch to book a demo and explore the platform in more detail.

How BPS Assessment Supports Prescribing Skills

In today’s complex healthcare environment, the ability to prescribe safely and effectively is a critical skill for medical professionals. As healthcare continues to evolve, the need for rigorous training and assessment in prescribing has never been more important. In this blog, we take a look at the Prescribing Skills Assessment and how this important learning tool is supporting the development of these vital skills.

 

The Importance of Prescribing Skills

 

Prescribing is more than just selecting the correct medication; it involves a deep understanding of pharmacology, patient-specific factors, potential drug interactions, and ongoing monitoring. Errors in prescribing can lead to significant patient harm, making it crucial that healthcare professionals are well-trained and confident in their prescribing abilities.

We at BPS Assessment, recognise this need and have developed the Prescribing Skills Assessment to ensure that medical students and healthcare professionals from outside of the UK medical training programme, are thoroughly prepared to take on the responsibilities of prescribing.

 

What is the Prescribing Skills Assessment?

 

The Prescribing Skills Assessment is a comprehensive tool designed to evaluate the prescribing competence of healthcare professionals and trainee doctors. Unlike the UK’s national Prescribing Safety Assessment (known as PSA), which is a mandatory exam for final-year medical students and foundation doctors, the Prescribing Skills Assessment is a flexible tool that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of different institutions and learners.

The Prescribing Skills Assessment, while structured similarly to the UK PSA, is used as a formative learning tool to drive the development of prescribing competencies through realistic clinical scenarios. It covers essential areas such as:

  • Drug selection and dose calculation: Ensuring the right medication and dosage is prescribed for each patient based on their current health and medication.
  • Monitoring and reviewing therapy: Understanding how to follow up on a prescription, assess its effectiveness, and make necessary adjustments.
  • Avoiding prescribing errors: Recognising potential pitfalls, such as drug interactions or contraindications, and taking steps to avoid them.

How the PSA Supports Learning and Development

 

One of the key strengths of the Prescribing Skills Assessment is its focus on practical, real-world application. The assessment is designed to reflect the kinds of situations that healthcare professionals encounter in their daily practice, helping students and practitioners develop the confidence and competence they need to prescribe safely.

 

Tailored for Different Learning Environments

 

The flexibility of the Prescribing Skills Assessment makes it an ideal tool for various educational settings. It can be used by medical schools, nursing programmes, and other healthcare education institutions to assess and develop their students’ prescribing skills. Institutions can integrate the exam into their curricula, using it as a formative assessment tool to identify areas where students need further development.

 

Comprehensive Feedback

 

One of the standout features of the assessment is the detailed feedback it provides. After completing the assessment, candidates receive a breakdown of their performance in different areas of prescribing with further details on optimal and sub-optimal ways in which to treat the  patient. This feedback is invaluable for guiding study and practice, helping learners to focus on their specific areas of weakness and improve their overall competence.

 

Supporting Continuous Improvement

 

For institutions, the Prescribing Skills Assessment is not just an assessment tool; it’s a resource for continuous improvement in teaching and learning. By analysing the results and feedback from their students or trainees, educators can identify trends, adjust their teaching methods, and ensure that their programs are effectively preparing students for the challenges of prescribing in clinical practice.

 

The Role of BPS Assessment in Enhancing Prescribing Skills

 

Our commitment to supporting prescribing education goes beyond the Prescribing Skills Assessment. We also provide a suite of resources and tools designed to complement the assessment and further develop prescribing skills.

eLearning Modules

 

We offer over 50 targeted eLearning modules that cover essential pharmacology and prescribing topics. These modules are designed to reinforce the knowledge required for effective prescribing and provide a solid foundation for the skills assessed in the Prescribing Skills Assessment.

 

Practice Papers and Practice Exams

 

To help students prepare for the Prescribing Skills Assessment, we provide practice papers and even simulated assessments. These resources allow learners to familiarise themselves with the format of the exam, practise their time management, and refine their decision-making skills in a controlled environment.

 

Prescribing is a critical skill that requires a combination of knowledge, experience, and sound clinical judgement. The Prescribing Skills Assessment is a vital tool in supporting the development of these skills. By offering a flexible, comprehensive, and practical assessment, along with a range of supporting resources, we can help institutions support their healthcare trainees to prescribe safely and effectively.

 

Whether you’re a student, educator, or healthcare professional, we offer a pathway to mastering the art and science of prescribing, ensuring that every prescription is a step towards better patient care. Get in touch today to find out how you can implement our prescribing resources in your institution. Email us at team@bpsassessment.com

Empowering Future Healthcare Professionals: Prescribing Resources for Medical and Foundation Schools

At BPS Assessment, we are committed to enriching the education and practical capabilities of future healthcare professionals through our advanced suite of eLearning and assessment tools. Medical and Foundation schools all over the world are using our high-quality, accessible learning and assessment resources to ensure that their students can prescribe safely and effectively.


 

Extensive eLearning Resources

Our eLearning courses feature a broad range of modules, carefully developed by prescribing experts and peer-reviewed to ensure the highest quality. These modules are designed to blend seamlessly with traditional classroom learning, offering students the convenience of studying at their own pace, from anywhere, at any time. The content spans essential topics such as drug administration techniques, clinical pharmacology, and medication management, providing a comprehensive education in prescribing practices.


 

Prescribing Skills Assessment

The Prescribing Skills Assessment is a pioneering online tool designed to assist educational bodies and healthcare organisations in assessing and enhancing prescribing competencies. Based on the UK PSA blueprint, it has been adapted for global use and can be tailored to different regional medical databases. The Prescribing Skills Assessment evaluates essential prescribing competencies and provides immediate, detailed feedback, crucial for learners to identify both their strengths and areas for improvement.


 

Platform Licensing

BPS Assessment’s cloud-based platform enables educators to design and deliver customised assessments directly to students. Our platform offers an array of question templates with detailed feedback options, incorporates a regularly updated drug bank of over 7000 prescriptions, and features automated marking and review tools to efficiently identify student challenges. Accessible on any device, our intuitive interface enhances prescribing education through expert-developed, peer-reviewed content.


 

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) Elective

Our two-week CPT Elective provides an intensive, expert-developed learning programme, with automated marking that minimises teacher admin. It covers key prescribing topics such as PKPD, medication errors, ADRs and monitoring drug therapies, and includes pre-course assessments and a detailed final assessment so you can measure student progress.


 

Global Collaboration and Reach

BPS Assessment’s online resources are being used by an ever-expanding network of global partners. We collaborate closely with educational institutions in regions such as Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, North America, and the UK to enhance prescribing practices and reduce medication errors. Our commitment to international collaboration ensures our resources remain cutting-edge and relevant across global healthcare education standards.


 
If you’d like to request a demonstration of any of our products or talk to us about a free trial, please get in touch. Empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals begins here!

 

 

 

Prescribing with Precision: How BPS Assessment Elevates International Medical Education Standards

Accurate prescribing is, of course, critical to ensuring patient safety and effective treatment outcomes. But to improve prescribing precision, we first need to improve prescribing education. BPS Assessment is at the forefront of elevating prescribing education standards, partnering with universities and institutions all over the world to deliver high quality learning and assessment resources.

 

Our flagship product, the Prescribing Skills Assessment, is an online assessment tool for organisations looking to measure and improve prescribing safety and skill. Based on the UK Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA), its questions are suitable from an undergraduate to a professional level.

 

Developed in close collaboration with leading experts and educators, the Prescribing Skills Assessment is grounded in the realities of clinical practice, ensuring its relevance across diverse healthcare settings. The content can be adapted to suit local education and prescribing practice in different countries, making it a valuable tool for medical and pharmacy schools all over the world.

 

Our eLearning resources are designed to support learning for the Prescribing Skills Assessment, and are split into two key sections: Prescribing Skills and Clinical Pharmacology. eLearning sessions are accessible anytime, anywhere through our online platform, so students can revisit topics on demand and continually test their knowledge.

 

Our collaborations with international medical and pharmacy schools have already been instrumental in elevating prescribing education. Some highlights include:

 

Partnership with Misr International University

Misr International University (MIU) is taking a pioneering step in the Egyptian educational landscape, partnering with BPS Assessment to provide the Prescribing Skills Assessment to their pharmacy students. The students will now have the opportunity to showcase their critical thinking, clinical acumen, and hone their prescribing capabilities. They will navigate specific and realistic clinical scenarios, mirroring the challenges they might encounter in their professional journey. As MIU’s pharmacy students prepare to make history as the first cohort in Egypt to undertake this milestone, we recognise the dedication and commitment of both the institution and its students to advancing their prescribing education.

 

Gulf Medical University’s Pursuit of Excellence

Gulf Medical University stands as a testament to the transformative power of the Prescribing Skills Assessment. PharmD students at the university embarked on a comprehensive journey of learning and evaluation, aimed at mastering the nuances of safe and effective prescribing. This partnership has set a new benchmark for pharmacy education in the region, and will have a significant impact on patient medication safety and the prescribing capabilities of GMU pharmacy graduates.

 

Empowering Prescribing Skills in the Middle East

BPS Assessment supported faculty development workshops that took place at Gulf Medical University College of Pharmacy and Saudi German Hospital in the UAE in May 2023. These workshops aimed to weave prescribing skills into the pharmacy curriculum, providing an opportunity for educators to network with experts and participate in demonstration assessments on the BPS Assessment platform.We used our expertise in medical education to offer insights and guidance to attendees, empowering them with innovative tools and resources needed to effectively teach future healthcare professionals about this complex subject. The participation of BPS Assessment in these workshops underscored its ongoing commitment to enhancing healthcare education and patient outcomes in the Middle East, highlighting a significant step forward in promoting safe and effective prescribing practices.

Together, we can elevate international prescribing education standards and improve patient safety. Get in touch today for more information about our learning and assessment products, or find out more about the Prescribing Skills Assessment here.

Enhancing Prescribing Education: Key Insights from the PSA Review

The Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) has long been a cornerstone of medical education, ensuring aspiring professionals possess the necessary skills to prescribe medications safely and effectively. Recent developments, particularly the outcomes of the independent Dacre Review, have brought the PSA into focus, prompting a closer examination of its role and impact in prescribing education. In this blog, we explore the significance of the PSA in medical training and dissect the crucial findings from the review, offering valuable insights for prescribing educators.

 

Uncovering Insights: The Purpose of the Dacre Review

In 2022, the British Pharmacological Society and the Medical Schools Council initiated a comprehensive review of the PSA, aiming to assess its efficacy and chart a course for its future. Led by Professor Dame Jane Dacre and overseen by esteemed representatives from the NHS and medical education sector, the review sought to provide recommendations for enhancing the exam’s relevance and utility.

 

Highlights from the Review

 

The findings of the review included several key themes outlined below:

 

1. Support for the Prescribing Safety Assessment

Stakeholders universally acknowledged the importance of the PSA in preparing junior doctors for the evolving landscape of prescribing. As medical practices and patient demographics evolve, the PSA serves as a vital tool for assessing and bolstering prescribing skills, instilling confidence and competence in future healthcare practitioners.

 

2. Impact of the Prescribing Safety Assessment

Data from the review underscores the PSA’s effectiveness in evaluating prescribing competency. Across medical schools and regions, consistent performance levels indicate the exam’s reliability. Moreover, evidence suggests a tangible improvement in patient safety since the PSA’s implementation, affirming its role in mitigating medication-related incidents.

 

3. The Future of the Prescribing Safety Assessment

The recommendations stemming from the Dacre Review outline a transformative vision for the PSA’s future. Emphasising the need for sustained funding, enhanced regulation, and robust governance structures, these proposals aim to fortify the exam’s accessibility, transparency, and accountability. By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, the PSA is poised to evolve into a more refined and impactful assessment tool, ensuring future healthcare professionals are adept at navigating the complexities of modern prescribing practices.

 

The PSA review heralds a new chapter in prescribing education, marked by innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence. By heeding the insights gleaned from the review, prescribing educators can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of medical training, equipping the next generation of healthcare professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver safe and effective patient care in an ever-changing healthcare landscape.

A User-Friendly Guide to BPS Assessment’s Prescribing Tools

Teaching prescribing can be tricky, with many professors and academics struggling for time and resources. But with BPS Assessment’s suite of prescribing tools, institutions have access to a collection of resources developed specifically to improve prescribing and patient safety. Let’s delve into the range of products offered and how they cater to your needs.

 

1. Prescribing Skills Assessment

The Prescribing Skills Assessment, not to be confused with the UK Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) stands as a cornerstone for evaluating prescribing proficiency among medical and healthcare students. Its assessment framework taken from the UK PSA not only measures theoretical knowledge but also assesses practical prescribing skills in simulated clinical scenarios. By utilising this formative exam, institutions can pinpoint areas of strength and weakness, enabling targeted interventions and ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for safe and effective prescribing in clinical practice.

 

2. eLearning Modules

Our eLearning modules serve as dynamic supplements to traditional teaching methods, catering to diverse learning styles. These interactive modules cover a wide range of prescribing topics, from pharmacology principles to drug interactions, allowing students to deepen their understanding at their own pace. With engaging content and real-world case studies, these modules enhance theoretical knowledge and practical skills, providing a comprehensive learning experience for medical, pharmacy and nursing programs alike.

 

3. CPT Elective

The Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) elective offers a unique opportunity for medical students to immerse themselves in the world of prescribing. Through hands-on clinical scenarios and expert guidance, students gain invaluable experience in making evidence-based prescribing decisions, understanding drug mechanisms, and managing patient medications effectively. As part of this elective course students will first test their existing knowledge with our pre-course knowledge check, then work through a series of eLearning sessions to strengthen their skills and understanding. Lastly, they will complete a final assessment to evaluate their clinical reasoning and decision-making skills but also their preparedness for complex prescribing in diverse healthcare settings. 

 

4. Platform Licensing Offering

For institutions seeking a comprehensive prescribing solution, we offer platform licensing. This customisable option provides access to a suite of prescribing tools, including the prescribing platform, question authoring console with question templates and drug bank, each of which can be tailored to meet specific institutional needs. With flexible licensing arrangements and ongoing support, institutions can integrate these tools seamlessly into their curriculum, ensuring a cohesive and effective approach to teaching prescribing.

 

By leveraging these prescribing tools, institutions can create a dynamic learning environment that fosters competence and confidence among aspiring healthcare professionals. Embrace innovation, empower learners, and elevate the standard of prescribing education with BPS Assessment. Take a look at our products and services page or get in touch with the team to arrange a platform demo.  

Behind The Scenes: How We Write Our Assessments

Assessments play a crucial role in evaluating a student’s knowledge and skills, especially in the medical field. At BPS Assessment, we understand the importance of creating high-quality assessments, which accurately assess student’s ability to prescribe medication safety and effectively. In this blog, we’ll take you behind the scenes, giving you a glimpse of how our team of experts crafts our assessments so that you have the best prescribing resources available for your students. 

 

Utilising Drug Bank Resources

 

The first step in crafting our assessments is to tap into the valuable resources available on the BPS Assessment platform, the Drug Bank. This comprehensive database provides our assessment writers with a wealth of information on medications, drug interactions, dosages, and more. Using the Drug Bank, our UK prescribing experts can create questions that accurately reflect the real-world scenarios you may encounter in your clinical practice.

Adhering to the PSA Blueprint

 

Each assessment question is created to adhere to the UK Prescribing Safety Assessment blueprint. This blueprint outlines the specific competencies and knowledge areas that are expected of foundation doctors and assesses 8 key areas. 

 

Our team ensures that every question we create closely adheres to these guidelines, covering a wide range of topics related to safe and effective prescribing; from prescription writing to drug monitoring and calculations. Each area is represented by an individual question item style in our assessments, highlighted in the graphic below: 

 

This alignment guarantees that your trainees are being assessed on the skills and knowledge that matter most in their future healthcare practice.

 

Peer Review for Quality Assurance

 

Quality is of paramount importance in assessment creation, which is why every question undergoes a rigorous peer review process. After our experts draft a question, it is carefully reviewed by a panel of experienced peers. This panel includes seasoned healthcare professionals and educators who possess a deep understanding of the PSA and its objectives. They assess each question for accuracy, relevance, and adherence to the PSA blueprint.

 

Author Revision and Finalisation

 

Based on the feedback from the peer review panel, the original author of the question revises it as necessary. This may involve refining the wording, adjusting the mark scheme, and enhancing the explanation of answers to ensure clarity. The goal is to create questions that are fair, challenging, and reflective of real-world prescribing scenarios.

 

By the time a question is finalised, it has undergone multiple iterations and revisions, guaranteeing that it meets the highest standards of quality and aligns perfectly with the PSA’s objectives.                           

 

Behind every successful assessment at BPS Assessment is a well-defined process that combines the expertise of UK prescribing experts, adherence to the PSA blueprint, and rigorous peer review. We take pride in our commitment to providing you with assessments that accurately assess prescribing skills, ensuring that candidates are well-prepared for the challenges of real-world clinical practice.

 

Utilising BPS Assessment resources can empower institutions to prepare their students, guiding them to reach a level of competence in prescribing medication that ensures both safety and effectiveness, thereby significantly reducing the risk of patient incidents arising from medication errors.

The Dacre Review: An Independent Review into the Prescribing Safety Assessment

The Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) stands as a pivotal milestone in the journey of medical professionals, serving as a crucial evaluation of their competence in prescribing medications safely and effectively. Since 2017, it has been a mandatory part of the medical education curriculum, ensuring that junior doctors are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to make informed and safe prescription decisions. 

 

Recent developments have placed the PSA under a spotlight, as the findings of the independent Dacre Review have shed new light on its structure, content, and overall impact. In this blog, we delve deeper into the Prescribing Safety Assessment, exploring its significance in medical education, and examine the key takeaways from the Dacre Review. 

 

Unearthing insights: Why the Dacre Review was commissioned

 

In 2022, the British Pharmacological Society and the Medical Schools Council jointly commissioned an extensive review of the PSA. The goal was to evaluate the exam’s effectiveness and determine its future direction. The review was overseen by top representatives from across the NHS and medical education programme in the UK, who under the chair of Professor Dame Jane Dacre, have proposed a set of recommendations for the exam. 

 

Headlines from the Review

 

The findings from the review can be boiled down to some key themes, we’ve summarised them below; 

 

Support for the Prescribing Safety Assessment 

 

The consensus among stakeholders and echoed by the oversight group is that there is widespread support for the PSA. Many understand that prescribing has changed and will continue to change with the introduction of new medications coupled with prescribing in an ageing population, giving rise to complex challenges which junior doctors need to be prepared for. This is where the exam not only presents an opportunity for students to assess their prescribing skills but also build their knowledge and confidence in prescribing before advancing in their careers. 

 

Impact of the Prescribing Safety Assessment  

 

The review not only focused on the exam’s effectiveness, but also considered its impact on both students and patients. The data suggests that the PSA is a robust tool for assessing prescribing competency and that since its implementation there has been little difference in the performance between medical schools and regions across the UK, an indication of its reliability.

 

Aside from the direct impact on students, there is evidence to suggest that the PSA also has had a positive effect on the safety of patients. Since the PSA was made mandatory in 2017, the percentage of medication-related patient safety incidents has reduced year-on-year.  

 

The Future of the Prescribing Safety Assessment  

 

The recommendations put forth by the Dacre Review mark a pivotal turning point for the future of the PSA. Among others, it highlights the need for sustained and equitable funding to ensure the PSA’s accessibility and continued improvement. As well as, better regulation and a more robust governance structure to enhance transparency and accountability, bringing together key stakeholders to guide its development and delivery. 

 

These recommendations collectively represent a promising vision for the PSA’s future, one that prioritises fairness, quality, and sustainability in assessing the prescribing competence of future healthcare professionals. The PSA is poised to evolve into a more effective and reliable assessment tool, forming an integral part of the medical education curriculum within the UK that is better equipped to prepare healthcare practitioners for the challenges of modern medicine.