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New Year: new reflections

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New Year: new reflections

Well here we are in January 2016. The New Year provides a time to reflect on both the year gone by and the opportunities ahead, says Joanne Taylor

This is the time of year that I review my CPD entries on the GPhC ‘up to date’ CPD record, look at all that I have achieved in the last 12 months and what I can do to aid my learning in the new year. This gives me the chance to look at the positive outcomes of my learning and to decide what competencies I can build on and where I can improve.

One of the things I find really useful in the GPhC record is the opportunity to compile your own Personal Development Plan (PDP), which is a great aid in reflecting on your practice and how you see yourself developing.

There are 10 simple questions, which, if answered fully, can highlight any training needs to help you achieve where you would like to be professionally. This then makes the reflection entries within the CPD section easier to complete, too.

For those of you unfamiliar with the PDP, here are the 10 questions – it’s really easy to follow:

  1. Describe three things in relation to your current job that have gone well this year
  2. Can you identify a learning objective for each of these that will build on these experiences?
  3. Describe up to three incidents in your workplace during the past year that caused you to feel uncomfortable, unhappy, ill-at-ease, threatened or simply fed-up
  4. Looking through your responses to the previous question, try to identify what you need to learn that will relate to each incident that might help you handle similar situations more effectively
  5. If your workplace has a developmental plan for the next three years, briefly summarise the three points of that plan that will most affect you
  6. What do you need to learn that will relate to these three points?
  7. If you work within the NHS, can you identify three local and national policies and priorities that will affect you, patients and other users of your services, and the organisation(s) for whom you work?
  8. What do you need to learn that will address each of these policies and priorities?
  9. Looking at your career plans for the next three to five years, identify three things that you want to be doing within that timeframe
  10. What do you need to learn that will relate to each of these career aspirations?

Once you have completed these questions, which may take a while if you have answered them honestly and fully, you’ll be able to identify where you would like to be in your career and how you will go about achieving this. It’ll give you direction and should help you spot any gaps in your knowledge and skill set.

Changes are ahead for community pharmacy; so make sure you’re ready and prepared for these. Put together your own PDP and embrace the challenges. A new year means new reflections – good luck!

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