Helen Middleton and Sneha Varia London Pharmacy Education

1
The KSF Portfolio Developing a portfolio to
support evidence recording for the NHS Knowledge
and Skills Framework (KSF)
Helen Middleton and Sneha Varia London
Pharmacy Education Training
The outcome An evaluation of the CPD Portfolio
highlighted that it was not suitable for
recording KSF evidence. Therefore the CPD
Portfolio was withdrawn and a new KSF Portfolio
was developed to help staff to get to grips with
the KSF.
Introduction London Pharmacy Education
Training (LPET) has supported NHS organisations
with Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
since 1999. We have trained CPD Facilitators and
developed resources to support CPD including a
CPD Portfolio. In 2004 The NHS Knowledge and
Skills Framework (KSF)1 was published. All staff
will have a KSF outline which sets out the KSF
dimensions (areas of knowledge and skills) and
levels that apply to their post. Staff will need
to collect evidence that they are meeting their
KSF outline as part of the 4-stage KSF Personal
Development Review (PDR) cycle. We needed to
consider whether the CPD Portfolio was suitable
to help staff collect evidence for their KSF
outline. Did the CPD Portfolio require
modification or was a new portfolio needed?
The KSF Portfolio is divided into sections for
ease of use Section 1 Information about the
KSF, KSF PDR process and Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs)
Section 6 Helps individuals to plan for their
KSF PDR
Aim To review the suitability of the CPD
Portfolio for recording KSF evidence for all
pharmacy staff.

• Objectives
• By June 2005 Review the CPD Portfolio and
  assess its suitability for recording KSF
  evidence
• By December 2005 Modify the CPD Portfolio or
  develop a new portfolio for recording KSF
  evidence

• Methods
• The KSF Implementation Lead from a large NHS
  hospital trust was interviewed to ask her
  opinions on a portfolio- based approach to
  collecting KSF evidence
• A focus group (CPD Facilitators) and informal
  interviews (with LPET pharmacy and
  administrative staff) were used to determine
  whether the CPD Portfolio needed modification
  to be suitable to record KSF evidence

Section 7 Signposts to our other new resource
the Individual Knowledge and Skills Analysis
(IKSA) Pack
Sections 2 - 4 Recording forms for personal and
professional information Section 5 Information
on evidence collection and evidence recording
forms. These forms make a specific link with the
KSF by the use of prompt questions e.g. for
significant event records what KSF dimensions
does this event provide evidence for?
This way to the IKSA Pack to develop a PDP
Both of these KSF support resources can be
downloaded from our website www.londonpharmacy.nhs
.uk/educationandtraining/ksf/ksf.aspx

• Results
• Interview with the KSF Implementation Lead A
  portfolio- based approach to collecting KSF
  evidence was appropriate a portfolio designed
  specifically for this purpose would be useful
• Feedback from focus group (CPD Facilitators)
  and informal interviews (with LPET staff)
• - CPD Portfolio not suitable for recording KSF
  evidence
• - CPD Portfolio contained unnecessary
  information about CPD a portfolio needed
  information about the KSF, links between CPD
  and the KSF and evidence collection instead
  e.g. what is the KSF? What is a KSF outline?
  How is the KSF used for development
  reviews? What is the link between CPD and
  the KSF?
• - Recording forms in the CPD Portfolio required
  minor amendments to make a specific link
  between the information recorded and the
  KSF

Discussion (including conclusion) The KSF
Portfolio aims to assist all pharmacy staff to
get to grips with the KSF by helping them to
understand the KSF development review process and
navigate their way through evidence collection.
Once staff have got to grips with this they can
progress to using the IKSA pack to help them
develop a Personal Development Plan to meet their
KSF outline.
Preliminary feedback on the KSF Portfolio has
been very positive
Reference 1. Department of Health. The NHS
Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF) and
the Development Review Process. Department of
Health 2004 Want to know more? Contact Helen
Middleton - CPD Manager (London Pharmacy
Education Training) 020 8237 5262
helen.middleton_at_chelwest.nhs.uk or Sneha Varia
Specialist CPD Facilitator (London Pharmacy
Education Training) 07876 507620
svaria_cpd_at_yahoo.co.uk
In conclusion, the KSF Portfolio will assist all
pharmacy staff in recording their evidence for
their KSF outline and could also be used by other
NHS staff.