Workshop Facilitators: Prof Brian Jolly

In 2012 Jim Crossley and I published a paper(1) with this title. It was a work that tried to condense the research on and ideas about WBA at that time around 4 main concepts. First that the right questions be asked; second that they needed to be phrased appropriately, and third, they should be about important and measurable features, and finally they should be directed towards the right people, i.e. those that would know about those measurable features. Depending on which database is used it has been cited between 250 and 300 times. This interactive workshop will unpack those ideas along with a narrative that describes how the paper nearly did not get written, and when it did some of its ideas became uncomfortable for some clinicians and academics. It raised the issues of interprofessional contribution to assessment, and how the questions should be expressed in the best way (not always agreed upon) to evaluate the particular skills or domain of interest. This workshop will critically reflect on the premises in the original paper in light of the emerging evidence and feedback from the application of WBA over the last decade. For example, we did not consider the patient’s voice in the assessment process. Participants will be given opportunity to outline their challenges in assessment and whether adopting WBA is feasible, and any successes they cherish. The four concepts will be outlined, and their usefulness discussed. The workshop will aim to help participants to refine their own interests and pursuits (for example as researchers, to shape the research questions that still need to be addressed about WBA, or as practitioners on how they might develop their practice).