The Personal Development Plan

Using a personal development plan (PDP) is a means of identifying an individual's development needs and wants and devising the best way to satisfy these requirements. This process is part of Clinical Governance and it is a GDC requirement that all registrants in the NHS have and use a PDP

PURPOSE

 To promote reflective practice.

 To focus registrants CPD on their own educational needs.

 To manage time spent on CPD effectively.

DEVELOPING THE PLAN

Reflection

Before writing a PDP it is important that the registrant takes time to think about their practice.

This reflection should include all areas related to daily practice, not just clinical issues but also issues such as finance, clinical governance, practice management and communication skills.

The use of SWOT analysis or appraisal can be helpful

From reflection educational needs will be highlighted.

Put in writing

Educational needs should be precise. What exactly do you want to be able to do or know that you cant do or don’t know now.  Be specific.

Each educational need might require a number of objectives to be written.

Write SMART objectives.

Specific, Break down the educational need into bite size chunks.

Measurable, add an element of measurability into the objectives e.g. audit or set a number of cases to be completed with a new technique.

Achievable, don’t set objectives that can’t be fulfilled.

Relevant, ensure that objectives relate to the educational need.

Time bound, add a completion date to each objective this gives the objective a logical chronological order and helps to motivate the practitioner.

Action

  • Once a plan is written it is important to find the resources to fulfil the educational needs highlighted.

  • Although courses and lectures are important, think of the other resources available

  • Coaching/mentoring

  • Peer Review / learning groups

  • Internet resources

  • Reading journals

  • Focused team meetings

Evaluation

At the end of the year it is important to evaluate the PDP to learn from the process.

  • Which were the most valuable learning activities and why?

  • Which were the least valuable activities and why?

  • In what ways has the learning been applied?

  • What learning needs might be carried forward to the next portfolio?

Continue with next PDP

And so the spiral continues; reflection, put in writing, action, evaluation.

A PDP should reflect some priority areas for development which seem most relevant at a given point in a career. A plan will and should change in the future, it should be updated at regular intervals and when goals have been achieved.