title: Accessibility, feasibility and educational impact of a peer review process for general practitioner consultation skills.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  External peer review of consultations has been available to general medical practitioners (GPs) in the west of Scotland for several years. This study aims to assess the feasibility, accessibility and educational impact of consultation peer review for GPs.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interview guide was developed and an independent researcher used this to interview a sample of 10 GPs who had submitted consultations for peer review in the previous six months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All GPs interviewed felt that there had been educational impact as a result of consultation  peer review, the majority had presented this material as part of their annual appraisal and thought that their appraisal had been enhanced as a result. The process was both acceptable and feasible for the majority of GPs interviewed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consultation peer review appears  to be an acceptable and feasible educational activity, resulting in behaviour change. It may be useful as an alternative to multisource feedback and patient questionnaires in provision of evidence of effective communication skills for annual appraisal.
authors: NHS Education for Scotland, Glasgow, UK. rhona.mcmillan@nes.scot.nhs.uk
authors: Rhona
authors: R
authors: McMillan
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010380:Peer Review / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom