Caring after Traumatic Times

7 A nationally representative working group has been convened by the Society of Hospital Pharmacist’s of Australia to progress an Australian clinical pharmacy competency assessment tool (ClinCAT). A major initial task will be to nationalise the tool, which will include reaching agreement on content and gaining jurisdictional endorsement. Once this occurs, the tool can be administered at a local level within departmental teaching and training programs. Arguably, the value of the ClinCAT is the manner in which it forces dedicated individual contact and direct observation by an experienced peer. The ClinCAT provides a non-threatening forum for review of a pharmacist’s work by another practitioner. Experience in Queensland suggests that this type of interaction builds a culture where young pharmacists demand competency assessment, accelerate their learning, and have a clear development pathway and expectations. The manner in which peer review is undertaken is incredibly important to the success of the ClinCAT in a pharmacy department. Peer review has the potential to be intimidating and feedback can undermine motivation. Therefore, positive outcomes for individuals need to constructively examine areas of weakness, effectively address these and improve competency. Indiscriminate application of the ClinCAT program could lead to a system that is feared and counterproductive. It stands to reason that the ClinCAT program must be supported by a robust and sustainable national program to train pharmacists in its best use. How does a pharmacy director know he has capable and competent staff performing consistently to a recognised standard? Can the ClinCAT provide this tick of approval for staff and the department? Unfortunately, the answer is no, not on its own. The ClinCAT is predominately a development tool not an exam that measures a specific level of achievement. There is no magic pass or fail. While it provides a good indicator of performance, it is intended to be repeated over time to chronicle improvement. The ClinCAT can only provide a snap shot measure of observations during real cases and may not evaluate a full set of competencies every time. The ClinCAT should complement and inform a personal performance management and continuing professional development plan, but will not replace the need for these. A major objective for the future is that the ClinCAT will be a core component of a recognised national credentialling program for hospital pharmacy departments. This would allow individuals to know they have reached a certain standard of performance and to have portable evidence that they could take to another employer. Combined with other elements, the ClinCAT may provide some sort of tick of achievement, providing the holder with a recognised level of competence endorsing them to perform specific tasks in the eyes of pharmacy regulatory bodies. The ClinCAT is generically aimed at clinical skills for the new or intermediate pharmacist. Australia’s population is too small for specialty pharmacy colleges or exams just for hospital practitioners. It is hoped that the ClinCAT may be an initial step towards an equivalent, alternative system. Work already exists in Australia on specialty tools similar to the UK’s Advanced Level Framework. Eventually, the ClinCAT or Advanced Level Framework equivalents may link to advancement and remuneration. For now, the primary objective should be to gain wide national support for the concept of a ClinCAT.