Professional Modules

The General Practice Professional Modules highlight the most important areas of General Practice by illustrating the key areas of learning through case-based examples, educational outcomes, and more general advice for learning. They also provide an overview to the skills required in each specific area of the speciality, and act as a exemplification of good practice, rather than an inclusive guide. GPs are therefore encouraged to read the Professional Modules alongside the other areas of General Practice training, in addition to further literature.

General Practice Professional Modules in Summary

The four Professional Modules cover skills in consultation, safety, leadership, and CPD:

• The GP Consultation in Practice,
• Patient Safety and Quality of Care,
• The GP in the Wider Community, and
• Enhancing Professional Knowledge.

Each Professional Module follows a template established by the RCGP, beginning with a summary of the module, followed by

• Educational Priorities,
• Case Discussion and Reflective Questions,
• Knowledge and Skills Guide,
• How to Learn, and
• Useful Learning Resources.

Full module breakdowns may be found on the RCGP website.

The GP Consultation in Practice

This module stipulates that GPs should

• show a commitment to practising patient-centred medicine, displaying a non-judgemental attitude, whilst also promoting equality and valuing diversity;
• communicate clearly, sensitively, and effectively with their patients and advocates;
• show a normality-orientated approach, reducing medicalisation, and promoting self-care;
• negotiate management plans with patients, balancing the patient’s values and preferences with the best available evidence and ethical and legal principles;
• manage uncertainty, complexity, and continuity of care within the time constraints of the consultation; and
• be aware that the increasing availability of digital technology facilitates increased sharing of information, and different formats of consulting, but raises concerns about the security of information.

Patient Safety and Quality of Care

This module stipulates that GPs should

• understand that they are in a strong position to influence patients’ care, as well as the care of their practice population and the wider healthcare community;
• recognise that understanding how and when to apply tools and metrics to improve the quality of care is a key skill that can be learnt during training, and improved in lifelong learning;
• understand that working together with their patients and understanding their needs is essential to improving care and reducing health inequalities;
• recognise that the views of patients and their families and carers are vital for developing high-quality healthcare;
• actively encourage patients to be involved in planning their care, in addition to the development of services in the practice and beyond; and
• recognise that how they learn from and share lessons about clinical care is an important indicator of personal and collective professional development.

The GP in the Wider Community

This module stipulates that GPs should

• recognise that the purpose of clinical leadership is to improve health outcomes and quality of care,
• understand that effective primary care requires the commitment and coordination of a multi-professional team working together with patients,
• recognise that leaning and managing improvement in healthcare systems is as important as activing as a patient’s advocate, and
• recognise that GPs have a wider social responsibility to use healthcare resources in a cost-effective and sustainable way.

Enhancing Professional Knowledge

This module stipulates that GPs should

• acquire the skills to learn, teach, and critically appraise;
• be able to critically appraise research and guidelines, and understand both their validity and generalisability;
• apply evidence to the management of their patients, the community, and also the healthcare setting;
• be able to audit both their their organisation and their own practice, and develop changes as a result of their findings;
• be able to work within a multidisciplinary team, allowing the views and knowledge of the whole team to be used in a discussion about patients care;
• show the capabilities of shared leadership in order to maximise the effectiveness of healthcare delivery;
• ensure they keep up to date in the acute management of patients;
• be able to teach team members the need for better patient care and safer practice;
• be willing to receive feedback as a teacher, from individuals or groups, in order to improve and learn from their teaching sessions; and
• be aware that their own health and the health of their colleagues should be optimal for ensuring safe practice.