Not all jobs sit neatly within a single profession. In some cases the level of specialism required means that the job role crosses over different professional categories. One such group are the staff working within the technical disciplines of hospital pharmacy.
Over a number of years the Technical Specialist Education and Training Group had worked diligently to create a competency framework that captured this diversity, however it was in a paper form and hard to use.
Consequently they commissioned the TPD Portal. Unlike paper based competency frameworks the TPD Portal creates a motivational and interactive experience for users. For the first time, it allows individuals to create their very own completely personalised competence profile which reflects their individual role in technical services, and also helps users identify and work towards their professional aspirations. It supports the careers of all pharmacy staff no matter what their profession or entry point.; and this is only the beginning of the professional development journey.
Screen Shot – tpdpREvidence supporting competences can be created by users utilising the portal’s simple evidence capture tool, which also links the evidence to any selected competence within a profile. This can also be exported for peer review or manager approval if desired. The portal even warns when evidence may need to be renewed, therefore supporting a re-validation process.
The Planning tool shows where competence is yet to be evidenced or achieved within a personal profile and drops any competences selected into a personal development plan. The user then sets the timeframe in which they wish to attain competence. A progress barometer measures advancement through the plan with a ‘time remaining’ indicator.
Activity data can be searched at any time within the Reporting zone of the portal, providing rapid access to information about when and where progress has been made towards professional development goals.
The site is now being rolled out across the UK and its capacity to enable individuals to create their own competencies assures its position as one of the most innovative approaches to online professional development.
