Out of Hours competency based

State the options for organising out of hours care for a specific population.

Evaluate the options available and form a plan for the provision of care.

Show knowledge of the NHS regulations governing care out of hours, including contractual obligations and financial arrangements.

Know how to plan and organise a variety of methods of care.

Know what personal security precautions should be observed by doctors working out of hours both in the patient’s home and in the consulting room.

Form policies and delegate instructions to staff for the handling of calls.

Have personal strategies for ensuring adequate rest after duty periods.

Relate appropriately to others involved in care (e.g. telephonists, drivers, police, fire brigade, ambulance).

Demonstrate appropriate clinical strategies for the diagnosis and management of conditions commonly encountered out of hours including sudden death, accident, mental health emergencies and medical and surgical emergencies.

Prioritise incoming work into a flexible and changing work pattern.

Offer telephone advice for appropriate conditions and circumstances.

Form a reasonable professional judgement on the timing and location of consultations.

Obtain the co-operation of patients in implementing those judgements.

Conduct appropriate consultations over the telephone, in the consulting room, in the patient’s home and in a variety of other environments such as streets, public places, institutions and open spaces.

Identify when information should be sought from the patient’s own practice and know how to do it.

Communicate their clinical actions effectively and timely to the patient’s own doctor.

Demonstrate experience in a variety of organisational settings, including own practice care, co-operative care, deputising services.

Demonstrate that the clinical and organisational experience gained, when combined with organisational and clinical knowledge, is sufficient to permit the learner to operate safely as a fully trained professional (as they will be licensed to do) in each of these settings.