Introduction | The Course | Competencies/KSF | Applications
National Development Scheme
for
Senior Pharmacists
Content
First Week
The following topics will be considered:
- Objective setting and team building
- Business planning and making a business case
- Motivation and leadership
- Influencing skills, face-to-face - including negotiation
- A planning exercise
- Finance in the NHS
Projects
Each course member and their manager must agree at least one work-related project prior to the first week of the course. (Notes on this will be provided.)
Time is allocated in the first residential week to allow each member to discuss objectives for their project with a tutor in order to set agreed final objectives.
The projects are intended to give the participants opportunities to relate the skills and knowledge gained during the first week of the course to their work and also to be of practical use at work.
Second WeekThere is flexibility to allow the programme content of the second week to take account of the needs of the participants.
Topics for possible inclusion in the second week are listed below. These and other suggestions will be considered when members consider their learning needs at the end of the first week.
Possible topics for the second week's programme include:- Finance
- Audit and benchmarking as tools in performance improvement
- Capacity planning and workload management
- Employment law and recruitment and selection
- Grievance and disciplinary procedures
- Stress management
- Strategy and change management
- Practical team exercises
- PCT issues
Clearly the topics cannot be dealt with in the depth expected in a further degree. Each session leader is strongly encouraged to present the essentials of that topic in a way in which they may be applied readily in the workplace.
The fashion for uni-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary courses fluctuates. This course capitalises on the benefits which accrue from its being uni-disciplinary. For example:
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Some participants consider a group of professional peers to be less threatening.
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Having a common background – academic as well as work experience – assists in the selection of problems for small-group work and to which the participants may easily relate.
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A major benefit is networking among the participants. This is strongly encouraged, both during and after the course.
Many (probably the great majority) of those who attend find that the course meets their training needs for this aspect of their job. If a topic is of particular interest to a course member they may pursue it in greater depth after the course. Some pharmacists, having attended the course, decide to take their formal studies further. Some have moved into general management.
Course LeadersThe Course Leader, Bill Gould, has led this course for more than a decade. Formerly Pharmaceutical Services Manager for North Tees Health NHS Trust, he has also worked as a pharmaceutical consultant and as a Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education Tutor.
The Course Tutor is Alan Hall, Director of Pharmacy, the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough and South Tees Acute Hospitals Trust.
ContributorsSpeakers who can present their subjects well and with authority are recruited from a variety of sources and backgrounds.
Records of AttendanceThe aim of the course is to provide knowledge and skills training. Records of Attendance will be provided on completion of the course for inclusion in each course member's continuing personal development portfolio.
Introduction | The Course | Competencies/KSF | Applications