The first step in drawing up a PDP is for each psychiatrist to
produce his or her own draft. Subsequently, this document is
discussed and its contents agreed with a peer group. The purpose of
the peer group is to review the objectives of each individual in
turn and to identify practical ways in which these may be achieved.
Each peer group would have three core sets of functions.
(a) Objectively referencing the work done by
individuals to construct a PDP and using it as a framework for
- reviewing and identifying their learning needs at each of the
four levels and across the four domains of knowledge to enable
individuals to fulfil their clinical responsibility
- analysing their goals for learning against realistic appraisal
of what actions are likely to improve quality for their patients
and/or contribute to the development of new knowledge and
- developing CPD objectives to achieve their goals
- documenting progress
- identifying and remedying blocks to progress
- reviewing and evaluating what is achieved with a view to
beginning a fresh cycle.
(b) Supporting members in achieving their goals and
(c) In some circumstances, providing CPD that is
oriented towards helping group members to achieve their PDPs.
Usually, a peer group should consist of between three and six
people, although, occasionally, circumstances may dictate that only
two or up to eight psychiatrists form a group. What matters is that
each individual has available objective opinion and support against
which to test his or her plan and monitor progress in settings that
permit a positive culture for learning.
Members of peer groups may be colleagues working in the same
organisation, from within the same psychiatric speciality or they
could be colleagues from outside a single health care organisation.
Members should be chosen who do not feel uncomfortable with each
other. All members of a peer group should be involved in drawing up
PDPs and reviewing them with each other. Each peer group should
meet regularly. The frequency of meeting should be at least twice a
year and sufficient to enable each member to develop and discuss
construction of his or her own PDP, carry out within-year
monitoring, reflect on achievements and gaps at the year-end and,
thereby, begin the cyclical process once again. Progress made
should be recorded in the plan.
The peer group must provide a supportive, rather than a
critical environment for all the members. The group should provide
ideas and be imaginative in helping each individual to overcome
barriers to achieving objectives. Peers must strive to make each
other feel secure enough to discuss openly positive abilities,
progress and achievements as well as any problems, gaps and
mistakes, and learn from them. The techniques that are likely to
prove appropriate tools in this set of professional relationships
- focused discussion
- positive critiquing
Use of appraisal in constructing & executing PDPs
In this policy, appraisal is considered to be an appropriate
educational tool for conducting CPD needs assessment, monitoring
and review within a managed approach to CPD that employs PDPs to
provide a clear framework.
Therefore, appraisal, as such a tool, is distinguished from
the more formal annual appraisal process that is proposed by the
Department of Health for all doctors. Part 2 of the document
"Good Psychiatric Practice: CPD
(Council Report 90) provides more information by way of definition
of these processes.
Recording a PDP
The psychiatrist named on a PDP will 'own' it. Therefore,
individuals should take responsibility for undertaking sufficient
preparatory work on drafting their own PDP prior to discussions
with their peer group. The information generated during the
appraisal activities and peer group meetings should also be
recorded in the plan. Ideally, each member of the group should use
a similar format for this process and the recording mechanism
should allow colleagues' advice, the agreed plan for CPD
activities, progress and achievement at the year-end to be
documented. The College suggested forms for developing and
recording a PDP, together with a checklist of issues, processes and
outcomes that psychiatrists might wish to review are available via
CPD index of this website.
Ownership & confidentiality
Ordinarily, all discussions within the peer group meetings must be
confidential. However, in the unlikely situation that information
comes to light of behaviour that is illegal or puts patients at
risk, individuals will have to act. NHS trusts will be developing
clear procedures to support reporting information of this nature
and these procedures must be followed. The majority of
psychiatrists will find it helpful to take a sheet summarising
their PDP, which is validated by their peers and the College, to
appraisal and/or performance review meetings with their employers.
Others may prefer to take their entire PDP to their annual
appraisal. In either case, sight of the PDP is likely to facilitate
discussion and provide evidence of meeting their CPD objectives,
but this is not seen as a compulsory requirement of the Royal
College of Psychiatrists. However, it is possible that, in the
event of a query over appraisal or revalidation of a psychiatrist,
employers or the GMC may require the psychiatrist to submit his or
her entire PDP for scrutiny.
The additional work required
The PDP process will take time and effort. It does, however,
bring together many activities on which individuals are already
spending time. In the medium to long term, the benefits should
outweigh the costs by:
- enabling individuals to overcome barriers in their own
performance, e.g. identifying a gap in knowledge, skill or attitude
and generating a plan of action to deal with it
- supporting individuals in addressing organisational barriers,
e.g. highlighting problems in an administrative system and
generating a plan to communicate this to the service manager, which
will enable them to improve the system
- reducing stress by providing a forum at which problems can be
shared and individuals supported.
Suggestions for a personal checklist for a PDP and suggested
forms for use when compiling a PDP are available via CPD index
of this website.