Example of DMS-themed reflective account

You could use a reappraisal of your approach to DMS remote consultations as part of your revalidation reflective account. Here is an example of what that account could look like.

“Our local hospital is finally up and running with its DMS referrals. My pharmacy technician has worked closely with me on writing the service SOP for my pharmacy and is actively involved in delivering the service. It took me and my team a while to get to grips with the various aspects of the new service. I had done a few telephone consultations and felt they had gone OK but were sometimes hard to manage.

This Pharmacy Magazine CPD module came at a good time. It made me think about introducing more structure into my remote consultations, while keeping them conversational but more patient-centred. I decided to put into practice some of the tips in the module and introduced them one at a time so that I got used to using new phrases and questions gradually. I kept the printed module near to the phone for the first few weeks so that I could refer to it and reinforce what I had learned until it became part of my routine for the calls. 

I asked my trainee pharmacist to work with our pharmacy technician to write an aide mémoire/checklist for remote consultations to supplement our SOP. We discussed it with my team so that they could support locum pharmacists and ensure they are efficiently briefed on what is expected of them. When we were first setting up the service, I had got in touch with the local GP practice and hospital pharmacy team to discuss how we might optimise referrals and establish good communication links. 

The PCN pharmacist is the lead on post-discharge medicines and we now have a much stronger relationship. This has made resolving queries quicker and easier. 

In terms of the GPhC standards, my post-CPD actions have made our DMS consultations, including those conducted remotely, more person-centred and have improved partnership working both within our team and also with the local hospital pharmacy team.”