Have You Any Guidance?

 

 

seriously, no one is going to laugh at your videos

 

The COT is primarily about consultation (=communication) skills.

* Therefore we recommend getting the following book and practising the skills within it which will help you achieve the above. Skills for Communicating with Patients by Jan Van Dalen, Jonathan Silverman, Suzanne Kurtz, and Juliet Draper (the yellow book, not the green one)

 

* Practising these skills will A) ensure most of your patients are happy (which also ensures they engage with whatever you advise = concordance) B) provide a great foundation for building your communication skills and thus C) making you a great doctor liked by most of your patients * You MUST keep PRACTISING these skills if you truly want to acquire them effortlessly.

 

* There's a DVD out by the RCGP called: nMRCGP DVD – the COT. A guide to the Consultation Observation Tool (COT). For all doctors teaching or preparing for the new Consultation Observation Tool (COT) of the nMRCGP. It costs around £20. Go to their website to purchase it http://www.rcgp.org.uk/acatalog/

 

* Another DVD/Book package worth getting hold of is Consulting: Communication Skills for GPs in Training, again available from the rcgp online store link above

 

* As with CbD, COT case selection is important as different cases will demonstrate different consultation performance criteria

 

* After each COT there will be feedback, recommendations for further development and agreed action which should help you with future ones. Remember, the focus is on pregressive development.