It's been a long time between postings for a hundred and one reasons. But now there is an important change:
The TREAT website is now hosted by Wentwest at www.wentwest.com/treat
So please update your bookmarks and links.
I have actually updated the blog so all those old postings with links now have new links pointing to the right places.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Friday, September 7, 2007
Update - A New Tool!
Thanks to the generosity of Hilton Koppe at North Coast GP Training, TREAT has a new tool. It is called "Measure your wellbeing" and can be found here. It does just what it says on the tin! Have a look, and I'll feature it a future Tips on TREAT.
I've taken the opportunity to alter some slight faults in formatting (like the title bar missing off the word Toolkit - did any of you notice?) and updating the lists of tools and questions. Thanks to Nick Cooling for making me realise that it would be a good idea to link the Confidence Grid (and see here) to all the domains, as you don't need to do the whole questionnaire in one hit.
Keep visiting TREAT, try out the tools, let me know what you think
I've taken the opportunity to alter some slight faults in formatting (like the title bar missing off the word Toolkit - did any of you notice?) and updating the lists of tools and questions. Thanks to Nick Cooling for making me realise that it would be a good idea to link the Confidence Grid (and see here) to all the domains, as you don't need to do the whole questionnaire in one hit.
Keep visiting TREAT, try out the tools, let me know what you think
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sheffield Assessment Instrument for Letters - SAIL
This is the fifth issue of Tips on TREAT, but the first to be published in it’s new format as an article in the Training Tabloid.
TREAT is the Trainer-Registrar Education and Assessment Toolkit, an online collection of tools to help provide registrars with feedback about their performance across a range of areas. The website can be found at www.wentwest.com/treat
I’m still archiving these Tips on the blog at http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/, so if you’ve missed any to date, then you’ll find previous tips there.
This month we feature the Sheffield Assessment Instrument for Letters (SAIL). It can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page734.htm
This tool is used to assess referral letters to other practitioners. It consists of a checklist of features which should be in an ideal letter, which you can score. There is also space for general comments.
The overall score has been validated as being discriminating (ie it distinguishes between good and bad letters) and reproducible (ie the same letter will score the same with different scorers or at different times). It’s worth remembering, though, that the most value from this tool is gained from the discussion that arises from using the tool. Suggested questions might be:
· “What did you score well on?”
· “What did you not score well on?”
· “Why is that important?”
· “What could you do to improve that letter?”
The tool can be used to assess one letter, or several, to find out whether there is a pattern. It could be used on selected letters, or letters could be chosen at random.
A powerful way of using the tool would be to allow the registrar to score one of the supervisor’s letters as well, allowing role-modelling of improving your own practice (unless they’re already perfect, of course!) You could also have some fun scoring hospital and specialist letters you receive, to discuss how crucial the information they contain really is.
There is more information in the tool itself, and a reference to the original article in the journal Medical Education on the TREAT website.
What now?
Print out a few copies of the SAIL, and use part of a tutorial to go through some letters, and just have a go!
As always, feel free to send suggestions and feedback to me here at Wentwest.
TREAT is the Trainer-Registrar Education and Assessment Toolkit, an online collection of tools to help provide registrars with feedback about their performance across a range of areas. The website can be found at www.wentwest.com/treat
I’m still archiving these Tips on the blog at http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/, so if you’ve missed any to date, then you’ll find previous tips there.
This month we feature the Sheffield Assessment Instrument for Letters (SAIL). It can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page734.htm
This tool is used to assess referral letters to other practitioners. It consists of a checklist of features which should be in an ideal letter, which you can score. There is also space for general comments.
The overall score has been validated as being discriminating (ie it distinguishes between good and bad letters) and reproducible (ie the same letter will score the same with different scorers or at different times). It’s worth remembering, though, that the most value from this tool is gained from the discussion that arises from using the tool. Suggested questions might be:
· “What did you score well on?”
· “What did you not score well on?”
· “Why is that important?”
· “What could you do to improve that letter?”
The tool can be used to assess one letter, or several, to find out whether there is a pattern. It could be used on selected letters, or letters could be chosen at random.
A powerful way of using the tool would be to allow the registrar to score one of the supervisor’s letters as well, allowing role-modelling of improving your own practice (unless they’re already perfect, of course!) You could also have some fun scoring hospital and specialist letters you receive, to discuss how crucial the information they contain really is.
There is more information in the tool itself, and a reference to the original article in the journal Medical Education on the TREAT website.
What now?
Print out a few copies of the SAIL, and use part of a tutorial to go through some letters, and just have a go!
As always, feel free to send suggestions and feedback to me here at Wentwest.
Collaborative Healer Assessment Tool - CHAT
Well, after the GPET conference and a couple of registrar workshops, I can get back to sending another Tip. This is the fourth issue of Tips on TREAT. I hope you are finding these e-mails helpful or useful. As you may remember, TREAT, is the Wentwest Trainer-Registrar Education Assessment Toolkit, which can be found here: www.wentwest.com/treat
Changes
Tips on TREAT is going to change format for those of you in the Wentwest area. We are going to start producing a newsletter called the Training Tabloid, and Tips on TREAT will become a regular feature in this, together with other information for supervisors about workshops and news. This will be monthly not weekly, so Tips on TREAT will come out less regularly. From some feedback I’ve had, this will allow you more time to have a look around at the tools between each Tip.
For those of you outside our region, I’ll carry on sending the e-mails, and I’ll still archive them on the blogspot http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/, where you can still find previous Tips.
CHAT – the Collaborative Healer Assessment Tool
This week’s tool is the CHAT, because for those of you in the Wentwest area, it’s coming up to time to have your first CHAT session with your registrar. The tool can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page1741.htm. (You’ll also have 2 more CHAT sessions later in this term)
The CHAT is a way of providing systematic feedback to a registrar across all the domains. It will help the registrar provide feedback to you about the learning experience in the practice as well.
You’ll see there are 2 sets of forms, and again, it looks slightly forbidding, but is actually quite simple. There are 2 stages to having a CHAT.
The supervisor and registrar separately fill in their forms about the registrar performance and the learning in the practice. This should be given time before having the CHAT session, perhaps 1 week, perhaps 1 day.
The supervisor and registrar get together to talk about what they put. This, for obvious reasons, is called having a CHAT! They reach consensus about how well the registrar (and supervisor) is doing and make plans as to how to continue and what to concentrate on.
It is hoped that CHAT will promote these desirable attributes:
· Reflection on one’s own performance
· Giving and receiving feedback constructively
· Being assessed across all 5 domains of the curriculum
· Being able to give evidence for the opinions each has.
Coming up is the most important sentence in this message:
The most important thing about this tool is the CONVERSATION it promotes.
Please re-read that sentence now.
It doesn’t really matter very much about how comfortable or uncomfortable you are filling in particular parts (eg about ability to pass the exam). However, if both sides make a genuine attempt to complete the forms, it is almost impossible not to have a conversation stimulated, especially about areas of difference.
Remember, this tool is for formative assessment, which means to provide feedback about performance in order to improve it. This works best in a safe atmosphere of mutual trust between registrar and supervisor. Therefore, Wentwest does not desire or wish to know about the content or result of a discussion, just the fact that it has happened, and there is a fax back form to let us know this. I’ve also included a feedback/evaluation form for us to improve the process, so please keep those coming in.
There are detailed instructions with the form, and also on the website.
That’s all for this week. Do feel free to e-mail feedback about the tool or the website, or any suggestions or questions, or if you’d rather not receive the e-mails.
Changes
Tips on TREAT is going to change format for those of you in the Wentwest area. We are going to start producing a newsletter called the Training Tabloid, and Tips on TREAT will become a regular feature in this, together with other information for supervisors about workshops and news. This will be monthly not weekly, so Tips on TREAT will come out less regularly. From some feedback I’ve had, this will allow you more time to have a look around at the tools between each Tip.
For those of you outside our region, I’ll carry on sending the e-mails, and I’ll still archive them on the blogspot http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/, where you can still find previous Tips.
CHAT – the Collaborative Healer Assessment Tool
This week’s tool is the CHAT, because for those of you in the Wentwest area, it’s coming up to time to have your first CHAT session with your registrar. The tool can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page1741.htm. (You’ll also have 2 more CHAT sessions later in this term)
The CHAT is a way of providing systematic feedback to a registrar across all the domains. It will help the registrar provide feedback to you about the learning experience in the practice as well.
You’ll see there are 2 sets of forms, and again, it looks slightly forbidding, but is actually quite simple. There are 2 stages to having a CHAT.
The supervisor and registrar separately fill in their forms about the registrar performance and the learning in the practice. This should be given time before having the CHAT session, perhaps 1 week, perhaps 1 day.
The supervisor and registrar get together to talk about what they put. This, for obvious reasons, is called having a CHAT! They reach consensus about how well the registrar (and supervisor) is doing and make plans as to how to continue and what to concentrate on.
It is hoped that CHAT will promote these desirable attributes:
· Reflection on one’s own performance
· Giving and receiving feedback constructively
· Being assessed across all 5 domains of the curriculum
· Being able to give evidence for the opinions each has.
Coming up is the most important sentence in this message:
The most important thing about this tool is the CONVERSATION it promotes.
Please re-read that sentence now.
It doesn’t really matter very much about how comfortable or uncomfortable you are filling in particular parts (eg about ability to pass the exam). However, if both sides make a genuine attempt to complete the forms, it is almost impossible not to have a conversation stimulated, especially about areas of difference.
Remember, this tool is for formative assessment, which means to provide feedback about performance in order to improve it. This works best in a safe atmosphere of mutual trust between registrar and supervisor. Therefore, Wentwest does not desire or wish to know about the content or result of a discussion, just the fact that it has happened, and there is a fax back form to let us know this. I’ve also included a feedback/evaluation form for us to improve the process, so please keep those coming in.
There are detailed instructions with the form, and also on the website.
That’s all for this week. Do feel free to e-mail feedback about the tool or the website, or any suggestions or questions, or if you’d rather not receive the e-mails.
Monday, August 6, 2007
A note about Firefox
I've had some feedback that the site doesn't work well in Firefox. I've had a go myself this week (not being a firefox user myself) and found it's true. The site looks awful! I'm sorry to all you Firefox users out there. Try in Internet Explorer, if you can.
I'm no experienced web programmer - I committed the hideous crime of building the website using Microsoft Publisher, which I've since discovered is a no-no to people who know what they are doing! It looks like it hijacks any non-microsoft way of looking at the site, and for that I'm sorry.
One day I'll learn enough to decode the HTML myself, but that day is not yet near...
I'm no experienced web programmer - I committed the hideous crime of building the website using Microsoft Publisher, which I've since discovered is a no-no to people who know what they are doing! It looks like it hijacks any non-microsoft way of looking at the site, and for that I'm sorry.
One day I'll learn enough to decode the HTML myself, but that day is not yet near...
The Wentwest Confidence Self Assessment Grid
Welcome to the third issue of Tips on TREAT. I hope you are finding these e-mails helpful or useful. As you may remember, TREAT, is the Wentwest Trainer-Registrar Education Assessment Toolkit, which can be found here: www.wentwest.com/treat
I intend sending out an e-mail like this regularly. I’m at the GPET conference next week, so there may not be one then. Feel free to send me feedback, or to let me know if you don’t want to receive the e-mails any more. Similarly, send these on to others if you think they might be interested. You’ll find these e-mails archived on http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/. So far there’s some thoughts on the Medical Record Review and the Procedural Skills Checklist.
This week, the Wentwest Confidence Self Assessment Grid also known as the WeCSAG, which can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page713.htm
If you’re a Wentwest supervisor (or have a Wentwest registrar in your practice) you will hopefully find that your registrar already has one of these booklets, and they may approach you with a fearful look in their eye asking how should they do it! Although it looks big and scary, it’s actually quite a simple concept. The idea is that the registrar goes through the checklist rating how confident they feel about each item in the list. They shouldn’t need to think too hard about each one, it can be done just with gut instinct.
What’s the advantage?
The checklist has been adapted from a version used widely in UK General Practice Training called the “Wolverhampton Grid”. It reflects the broad range of areas registrars need to be aware of in Australian General Practice. This allows registrars to be systematic about what they want to learn, which is perhaps better than the method I employ of sitting in a dark room with my eyes shut and imagining what topics I should learn!
What are the pitfalls?
This is a self assessment of confidence, which does not necessarily reflect whether someone can actually do the item in question or not. We’ve all met people very confident they can do something, and turn out not to be as good as they thought, and the (probably safer) converse.
Like share prices, confidence can go down as well as up – as someone realises how complicated, say, sore throats are, they may actually get less confident about it as they learn more.
Why do it?
There would be 2 reasons for doing this exercise (apart from the fact that we’ve encouraged all the registrars to do it!)
It allows registrars to develop a broad-based learning plan around prioritising areas they feel under-confident in.
It encourages a process of self-reflection about your own strengths and weaknesses.
What if they ask me for help?
It looks big, and there are undoubtedly topics on the grid we would feel uncomfortable about also. Supervisors can help prioritise topics for the learning plan. The WeCSAG does this to some extent – those percentages you see in Domain 2 are figures from the BEACH data about how often they present to General Practice (used also in setting the exam) and you can also prioritise based around a knowledge of your practice and your patients.
You may also find it interesting to do the grid yourself and share your findings with your registrar. It may be quite liberating for them to realise they don’t have to get to a 5 in every topic!
That’s all for this week. Do feel free to e-mail feedback about the tool or the website, or any suggestions or questions, or if you’d rather not receive the e-mails.
I intend sending out an e-mail like this regularly. I’m at the GPET conference next week, so there may not be one then. Feel free to send me feedback, or to let me know if you don’t want to receive the e-mails any more. Similarly, send these on to others if you think they might be interested. You’ll find these e-mails archived on http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/. So far there’s some thoughts on the Medical Record Review and the Procedural Skills Checklist.
This week, the Wentwest Confidence Self Assessment Grid also known as the WeCSAG, which can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page713.htm
If you’re a Wentwest supervisor (or have a Wentwest registrar in your practice) you will hopefully find that your registrar already has one of these booklets, and they may approach you with a fearful look in their eye asking how should they do it! Although it looks big and scary, it’s actually quite a simple concept. The idea is that the registrar goes through the checklist rating how confident they feel about each item in the list. They shouldn’t need to think too hard about each one, it can be done just with gut instinct.
What’s the advantage?
The checklist has been adapted from a version used widely in UK General Practice Training called the “Wolverhampton Grid”. It reflects the broad range of areas registrars need to be aware of in Australian General Practice. This allows registrars to be systematic about what they want to learn, which is perhaps better than the method I employ of sitting in a dark room with my eyes shut and imagining what topics I should learn!
What are the pitfalls?
This is a self assessment of confidence, which does not necessarily reflect whether someone can actually do the item in question or not. We’ve all met people very confident they can do something, and turn out not to be as good as they thought, and the (probably safer) converse.
Like share prices, confidence can go down as well as up – as someone realises how complicated, say, sore throats are, they may actually get less confident about it as they learn more.
Why do it?
There would be 2 reasons for doing this exercise (apart from the fact that we’ve encouraged all the registrars to do it!)
It allows registrars to develop a broad-based learning plan around prioritising areas they feel under-confident in.
It encourages a process of self-reflection about your own strengths and weaknesses.
What if they ask me for help?
It looks big, and there are undoubtedly topics on the grid we would feel uncomfortable about also. Supervisors can help prioritise topics for the learning plan. The WeCSAG does this to some extent – those percentages you see in Domain 2 are figures from the BEACH data about how often they present to General Practice (used also in setting the exam) and you can also prioritise based around a knowledge of your practice and your patients.
You may also find it interesting to do the grid yourself and share your findings with your registrar. It may be quite liberating for them to realise they don’t have to get to a 5 in every topic!
That’s all for this week. Do feel free to e-mail feedback about the tool or the website, or any suggestions or questions, or if you’d rather not receive the e-mails.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Procedural Skills Checklist
Dear All,
Welcome to the second issue of Tips on TREAT. This is going to be a regular e-mail highlighting a single assessment tool on TREAT each issue. As you may remember, TREAT, is the Wentwest Trainer-Registrar Education Assessment Toolkit, and can be found here: www.wentwest.com/treat
I intend sending out an e-mail like this regularly. Feel free to send me feedback, or to let me know if you don’t want to receive the e-mails any more. Similarly, send these on to others if you think they might be interested. You’ll find these e-mails archived on http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/. So far there’s last week’s Tip on the Medical Record Review, and soon this will appear there too.
The tool for today is the Procedural Skills Checklist, which can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page770.htm
This checklist has been knocking around the college training program for a long time now, and it’s still available in the Companion to the RACGP curriculum. This version is taken from the GPET Assessment During Training document, and is a (quite long) list of all the procedural skills required of a GP. The definition of procedural is quite broad however, as it includes things such as interpretation of an ECG or spirometry, as well as simple and more complicated procedures.
The idea is that the registrar assesses themselves for each skill as either Competent (C), Not Competent, (N) or Not Sure (?). The supervisor or any other qualified person can then teach the required skills and assess the registrar. Once the registrar is Competent and Assessed, they can be ticked off (in the sense of completing it, rather than in the sense of being a bit cross).
It might be reassuring to note that this tool should be used over a long period of time! It would be best to print it off early in a Basic term and ask the registrars to keep it with them throughout their training.
What next? You could ask your registrar if they are aware of the checklist. Pencil in a time to discuss procedural skills they want to learn while with you (using the Term Planner Andrew sent out, perhaps). Let the other doctors know in the practice to call the registrar through if they are doing a procedure (especially early in the term, when the registrar might not have so many patients).
Remember, this is not compulsory. And do feel free to e-mail feedback about the tool or the website, or any suggestions or questions, or if you’d rather not receive the e-mails.
Welcome to the second issue of Tips on TREAT. This is going to be a regular e-mail highlighting a single assessment tool on TREAT each issue. As you may remember, TREAT, is the Wentwest Trainer-Registrar Education Assessment Toolkit, and can be found here: www.wentwest.com/treat
I intend sending out an e-mail like this regularly. Feel free to send me feedback, or to let me know if you don’t want to receive the e-mails any more. Similarly, send these on to others if you think they might be interested. You’ll find these e-mails archived on http://www.tipsontreat.blogspot.com/. So far there’s last week’s Tip on the Medical Record Review, and soon this will appear there too.
The tool for today is the Procedural Skills Checklist, which can be found here: http://www.wentwest.com/treat/index_files/Page770.htm
This checklist has been knocking around the college training program for a long time now, and it’s still available in the Companion to the RACGP curriculum. This version is taken from the GPET Assessment During Training document, and is a (quite long) list of all the procedural skills required of a GP. The definition of procedural is quite broad however, as it includes things such as interpretation of an ECG or spirometry, as well as simple and more complicated procedures.
The idea is that the registrar assesses themselves for each skill as either Competent (C), Not Competent, (N) or Not Sure (?). The supervisor or any other qualified person can then teach the required skills and assess the registrar. Once the registrar is Competent and Assessed, they can be ticked off (in the sense of completing it, rather than in the sense of being a bit cross).
It might be reassuring to note that this tool should be used over a long period of time! It would be best to print it off early in a Basic term and ask the registrars to keep it with them throughout their training.
What next? You could ask your registrar if they are aware of the checklist. Pencil in a time to discuss procedural skills they want to learn while with you (using the Term Planner Andrew sent out, perhaps). Let the other doctors know in the practice to call the registrar through if they are doing a procedure (especially early in the term, when the registrar might not have so many patients).
Remember, this is not compulsory. And do feel free to e-mail feedback about the tool or the website, or any suggestions or questions, or if you’d rather not receive the e-mails.
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