copy 2003 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Br J Clin Pharmacol

56

349ndash350

349

Blackwell Science Ltd

Oxford UK

BCPBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

0306-5251Blackwell Publishing 2003

2003

56

4349350

Original Article

XXXXJ Mucklow

et al

Correspondence

Dr John Mucklow Department of Clinical PharmacologyUniversity Hospital of North Staffordshire Stoke-on-Trent ST4 6QG UKEmail johnmucklownstaffshwmidsnhsuk

The BPS web site for Continuing Professional Development in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

John Mucklow

Nigel Baber

Simon Maxwell amp

Munir Pirmohamed

The new Continuing Professional Development (CPD)web site went live in June 2003 and is now easily acces-sible to members of the British Pharmacological Society(BPS) after logging on to the Societyrsquos web site (httpwwwbpsacuk) Visitors to the site will find a compre-hensive range of information references and recom-mended further reading on many aspects of ClinicalPharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) together withopportunities for self-assessment How has this develop-ment come about

Background

In 1999 a questionnaire survey among medically qualifiedmembers of the Clinical Section set out to discover

bull

their perceived needs for Continuing Medical Edu-cation (CME)

bull

by whom these needs should be addressed and

bull

how the outcome of any educational interventionmight best be assessed

The results of the questionnaire survey [1] gave rise toseveral proposals the first two of which were that theClinical Section should

bull

facilitate and help its members to organize theirlearning in a way that is consistent with nationaltrends in Continuing Professional Development

bull

co-ordinate the setting up of an electronic library ofappropriate published material that would guidemembers seeking up-to-date knowledge of CPT

In 2000 these proposals were accepted by the ClinicalSection Committee who commissioned a Delphi studyto identify the knowledge and skills that should be con-sidered essential for specialists in CPT with a commit-ment to the National Health Services (NHS) The Delphistudy [2] demonstrated that despite the varied workpatterns and responsibilities of specialists in CPT it waspossible to identify a core of knowledge and skill that

most consider essential for the delivery of their commit-ment to the NHS

In 2001 the Clinical Section Committee set up a CPDSteering Group (ourselves) charged with implementingthe proposals arising from the questionnaire survey usingthe findings of the Delphi Study as a curriculum TheCommittee also considered the feasibility of designingand maintaining a dedicated CPD web site As the workrequired would have been too great for the BPS tomanage in-house without the need for additional staffthe Committee decided to commission development ofa suitable site and Blackwell Publishers submitted anaffordable tender A funding application was submitted toBPS Council and approved in mid-2002 As soon asfunding had been agreed the Steering Group began toapproach selected experts working in academic depart-ments or in industry inviting them to contribute materialto a common education resource

For each statement listed in the Delphi study we askedthe following questions

bull

What should a specialist in CPT providing a serviceto the NHS be expected to know about this topic

bull

To what published source(s) should the specialist bedirected to verify hisher knowledge and understand-ing of the subject in the most time-effective way

bull

How might this knowledge and understandingbe reliably assessed either by the individual orindependently

Where these questions could be answered authorswere asked to produce

bull

a summary of the knowledge required to satisfy theobjective set out in each statement (up to 1000words including references and further reading)

bull

a list of references (5ndash10) and further reading (up tofive citations) to support this summary and

bull

up to five self-assessment questions

From the end of 2002 submitted material in therequired format began to arrive and was circulated tomembers of the Group for comments which were incor-porated during the editing exercise Owing to someoverlap between the subject matter covered by separatestatements some amalgamation was necessary and topicswere regrouped for ease of access The web site was

J Mucklow

et al

350

copy 2003 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Br J Clin Pharmacol

56

349ndash350

developed during late 2002 and the edited materialuploaded in April 2003

The CPD web site

The CPD web site comprises 42 competencies aggre-gated within six domains

bull

pharmacological principles (pharmacodynamicspharmacokinetics)

bull

optimal choice and use of drugs (evidence-basedpractice cost-effectiveness measuring response doseadjustment concordance)

bull

hazards of drug use (adverse reactions drug poison-ing drug interactions medication errors)

bull

investigating drug effects (design and conduct of clin-ical pharmacological research research ethics GoodClinical Practice statistical analysis)

bull

investigating drug use (observational research phar-macovigilance pharmaco-epidemiology pharmaco-economics) and

bull

managing drug use (Drug amp TherapeuticsPrescrib-ing Committees prescribing policies formulariesguidelines)

Each competence has its own web page whichincludes a summary references and self-assessment ques-tions to which the summary alone does not provideevery answer Confidential scoring will allow readers tochart their performance and gauge progress At presentthose who spend time studying on-site can claim CMEcredit via the Royal College of Physicians under theheading of Personal Educational Activity (Clinical)Application has been made to the Medical EducationResources Manager for the site content to be consideredby the CPD Distance Learning Material EvaluationPanel If approved evidence of on-site learning will enti-

tle members to credit for taking part in an ExternalEducational Activity

What next

The success of the project will depend on how valuableBPS members find the web site to be We shall beseeking membersrsquo views in a subsequent evaluation Ifthe project is judged successful the material will need tobe reviewed annually and updated where necessary andfurther developments will be considered

The current site has its shortcomings First there is noinformation on practical therapeutics This could beaddressed as part of a further development subject todemand It could prove an extremely valuable and pop-ular resource for clinicians but would require frequentupdating and would be expensive to maintain Secondthe competencies currently listed depend on knowledgealone there is no facility for testing practical skills Thedevelopment of reliable and valid methods to assess prac-tical skills relevant to CPT among specialist trainees andtrained specialists is under way but is still in its infancy

We are greatly indebted to the authors who gave freely of theirtime to contribute original material to the web site On behalf ofthe BPS Clinical Section as a whole we acknowledge their gen-erous assistance without which this project could not have beencompleted

References

1 Mucklow JC Continuing medical education in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics report of a questionnaire survey

Br J Clin Pharmacol

2001

52

9ndash162 Mucklow JC What knowledge and skills are essential for

specialists in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Results of a Delphi study

Br J Clin Pharmacol

2002

53

341ndash346