Enhancing communication skills by peer review of consultation videos

This paper describes an intervention designed to encourage general practitioners (GPs) to develop their communication skills and participate in analysis of video-recordings of their consultations. The need to develop communication skills teaching has long been recognised by providers of medical education. Videorecording of consultations offers one method of permitting reflection and analysis by individual doctors and provides material that can be submitted for external peer review. However, experience in this area is limited and the number of doctors involved in this type of educational activity has been small. Eleven doctors took part in a course that used facilitated small groups to review communication skills and to analyse video-recordings of participant's consultations. The participants were representative of the majority of the general practice population in that they were not part of the vocational training establishment and therefore had limited opportunities to access this type of educational activity. The results demonstrate that following this intervention all participants reported changes in their consulting behaviour and also submitted a video-recording for external peer review. This study indicates that small group video analysis and external peer review are effective methods of learning, developing and reviewing communication skills and describes a method that is both practical and feasible. This approach not only satisfies the requirements of the General Medical Council and appraisal, but participation in this type of communication skills training can also increase job satisfaction and enhance morale.