GPs NHS appraisal and GMC revalidation require a personal learning plan and you are encouraged to record your learning needs and the actions you take to meet these needs. Only an obsessional can keep track of all learning needs. Its like recording what you are thinking, eventually it becomes unsustainable. Mostly we are motivated to learn when a patient presents a problem that we can't easily answer. We have to find the answer to manage the patients problem.
You can record this 'patient learning point' by making a new clinical code on your GP computer system. Name the code PLP or Patient Learning Point, and use the code whenever you have one of these learning moments. At any time in the future you can search your clinical records to find these PLPs and use them to demonstrate your personal learning.
Submitted by Terry Kemple
On 5/12/04