PBSGL? What does that mean? Practice based small group learning (PBSGL) has been around in Scotland since about 2004 and up until the last few years has been a peer learning concept for general practitioners. However, there has been a multidisciplinary addition to this way of learning through pharmacists and general practice nurses.
These groups have been sprouting up across Scotland’s health boards with a growing learning intent. The concept is based around small groups of health care professionals meeting for a couple of hours to study a single module written by a clinical group with clear evidence based guidelines. The modules cover all health subjects from ENT Hot Topics to anaemia in the elderly, including non clinical subjects such as consultation skills.
Some of the groups are meeting in protected learning time as a multi professional team and some are single discipline. In Lothian where previously the PBSGL has been the domain of the GP, general practice nurse groups have been catching this vision and now there are eight groups across all areas of the Lothian’s.
Speaking to the practice nurses about PBSGL you can catch a sense of enthusiasm for learning and an enjoyment in the networking of bring together previously isolated practices to a place of common interest. Eight new facilitators have been trained to run the groups and many groups are at their capacity. Although there is a cost to joining a group it is offset against regular competency updating and sharing of good practice.
Have a look at this website and find out a little more about PBSGL
http://www.gpcpd.nes.scot.nhs.uk/pbsgl.aspx
Ruth Aird
