Revalidation: listen to a peer discussion on dispensary challenges
Picking a topic for your peer discussion can be daunting, so why not listen to our example between two community pharmacists?
In the scenario below, two community pharmacists discuss the challenges around training staff members in the pharmacy.
C+D also spoke to one of the community pharmacists, to understand how they approached their peer discussion.
Who did you choose for your peer discussion?
For my peer discussion, I spoke to a community pharmacist about some challenges I was having with a member of my support team completing their required training. The staff member has recently moved from the healthcare counter into the dispensary. While they are working well, they do not appear to be prioritising their training and I have noticed they have been making dispensing errors.
I wanted to discuss the issue with this particular pharmacist because they have many years of experience in training pharmacists, pre-registration pharmacists and pharmacy support staff. I felt that they could provide some valuable insights into how they had dealt with similar incidents previously and possibly coach me on how best to respond to this situation.
How did you carry out the discussion?
I decided to carry out this discussion face-to-face. This was the first time I had carried out a peer discussion as part of the new General Pharmaceutical Council requirements and I felt that a face-to-face approach would encourage an open and honest dialogue with my colleague.
What details were provided before the discussion?
The GPhC recommends that pharmacists consider sharing information with peers prior to the discussion to make it an effective and worthwhile conversation, with the aim of positively influencing your development.
In this example, the pharmacist shared the following with their peer via email before the discussion:
A member of my staff was performing well on the healthcare counter and I felt that they would be an asset in the dispensary. At the same time, a member of my dispensary team is due to retire, so I felt that now would be the perfect opportunity to upskill another member of staff.
The trainee is doing well in the dispensary, but does occasionally make dispensing errors. When I have enquired about her training she mentions that she does not have time to do it, even though I offer training time during the working day. While she does appear to be enjoying the challenge of working in the dispensary, I need support to help to motivate her to complete the accompanying required training.
The pharmacist also made a list of potential points to consider for discussion during the peer discussion.
- How to develop the pharmacy team
- How to motivate staff members to prioritise their own learning
- How to make learning a part of everyday pharmacy practice
- How to have difficult conversations with my staff
- How to help my team to identify their own training needs
- How to use the support of others within my team to train newer members
- How to create a training plan for the whole pharmacy team
- How to incorporate regular feedback into our pharmacy culture.
Now listen to the peer discussion:
Example peer discussion revalidation entry
Example peer discussion revalidation entry
Please give the name, contact details and the role of your peer on this occasion*:
Name: Laura Morris
Role: Community pharmacist
Organisation: The Independent Pharmacy
Telephone: 020 8966 5493
Email [email protected]
*If you took part in a group peer discussion, please only provide details for one person from the group.
Describe how this peer discussion changed your practice for the benefit of the people using your services.
- Tell us why you chose this peer
I choose another community pharmacist to be my peer because she has many years of experience training pharmacists, pre-registration pharmacists and pharmacy support staff. My peer discussion helped me to think about my role in supporting my team in their development. I had felt that a particular team member was not motivated to learn as part of her dispensing course and I didn’t know how to support her. I felt that I had offered her lots of opportunities to do her required training, but had been met with resistance and a reluctance to complete the required training.
- Tell us how this peer discussion has helped you to reflect on and make improvements to your practice
As a result of the discussion, I now have a different perspective on staff development. I have reflected on how I motivate my team and have asked my staff for feedback on my performance as their pharmacist and manager. I have identified that I need to listen to each individual staff member to understand their training needs and how they prefer to learn. I have created a learning and development folder for each member of the team and we have had sit-down discussions about next steps.
- Give a real example of any beneficial outcomes for the people using your services as a result of making changes to your practice. Do include any feedback about your practice that you have had from other people. You do not have to include information on the subject(s) discussed if you feel the contents are confidential.
I have noticed great improvements in my new dispensary team member. She likes to be questioned about what she has learned and I find this approach has meant she has had to keep on top of her learning. Dispensing errors by this member of staff have reduced and I notice that when errors do happen she takes appropriate action to inform the rest of the team, in order to reduce the chances of similar errors happening again.
Peer discussion tips
We asked the community pharmacist how they found the peer discussion, and if they have any advice for those completing a discussion for the first time.
Did you find it difficult completing your peer review?
It was probably more straightforward than I thought it would be. As my peer discussion was with a colleague I knew well, I went into the conversation feeling comfortable, knowing that I could have an open and honest conversation, without judgement.
Did you feel worried before carrying out your peer discussion?
I wasn’t necessarily worried, but just unsure about how to guide the conversation to ensure I came away from it with clear actions. I think doing my first peer discussion with someone I knew well was the right approach. Ongoing, I now have more confidence to approach peers who I don’t know quite so well, but who could support me with particular issues in my practice.
Any other tips for those completing their peer discussion?
- Find a quiet space so that you are not interrupted
- Allocate plenty of time for the conversation – you don’t want to feel you have to rush at the end because time is running out
- Have specific issues/concerns/questions that you want to discuss prepared in advance to structure the conversation.
Listen to another example peer discussion and read more about this year’s revalidation requirements.
