2. Knowledge, Skills, and Performance

Question 1

What is the overriding themes of “Knowledge, Skills, and Performance”?

Answer 1

1. Develop and maintain your professional performance
2. Apply knowledge and experience to practice
3. Record your work clearly, accurately, and legibly

Question 2

What is said about competence?

Answer 2

You must be competent in all aspects of your work including management, research, and teaching

Question 3

What is said about professional knowledge and skills?

Answer 3

You must keep your professional knowledge and skills up to date

Question 4

What is said about activities that maintain / develop your competence / performance?

Answer 4

You must regularly take part in activities that maintain and develop your competence and performance

Question 5

What is said about structured support?

Answer 5

You should be willing to find and take part in structured support opportunities offered by your employer or contracting body.
You should do this when you join an organisation and whenever your role changes significantly throughout your career

Question 6

What is said about guidlines?

Answer 6

You must be familiar with guidelines and developments that affect your work

Question 7

What is said about the law?

Answer 7

You must keep up to date with, and follow, the law our guidance, and other regulations relevant to your work

Question 8

What is said about quality of your work?

Answer 8

You must take steps to monitor and improve the quality of your work

Question 9

How do you apply knowledge and experience to practice?

Answer 9

1. You must recognize and work within the limits of your competence
2. You must provide a good standard of practice and care
3. You must be satisfied that you have consent or other valid authority before you carry out any examination or investigation, provide treatment or involve patients or volunteers in teaching or research
4. You must make good use of the resources available to you

Question 10

What must you do if you assess, diagnose, or treat patients?

Answer 10

1. Adequately assess the patient’s conditions, taking account of their history (including the symptoms and psychological, spiritual, social, and cultural factors), their views and values; where necessary, examine the patient
2. Promptly provide or arrange suitable advice, investigations, or treatment where necessary
3. Refer a patient to another practitioner when this serves the patients needs

Question 11

What must you provide in clinical care?

Answer 11

1. Prescribe drugs / treatment, including repeat prescriptions, only when you have adequate knowledge of the patient’s health and are satisfied that the drugs / treatment serve the patient’s needs
2. Provide effective treatments based on the best available evidence
3. Take all possible steps to alleviate pain and distress whether or not a cure may be possible
4. Consult colleagues where appropriate
5. Respect the patients’ right to seek a second opinion
6. Check that the care / treatment you provide for each patient is compatible with any other treatments the patient is receiving, including (where possible) self-prescribed over-the-counter medications
7. Wherever possible, avoid providing medical care to yourself or anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship

Question 12

How should you record your work?

Answer 12

1. Documents you make (including clinical records) to formally record your work must be clear, accurate and legible. You should make records at the same time as the events you are recording or as soon as possible after
2. You must keep patients records that contain personal information about patients, colleagues, or others securely, and in line with any data protection requirements

Question 13

What should clinical records include?

Answer 13

1. Relevant clinical findings
2. The decision made and actions agreed, and who is making the decisions and agreeing the actions
3. The information given to the patient
4. Any drugs prescribed or other investigation or treatment
5. Who is making the record and when