Peer assessment as a method for facilitating cross-sector learning: A national pilot

Abstract

Background: The delay of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) pharmacist registration assessments in England due to COVID-19 created a need for innovative assessment methods. Peer assessment was identified as a potential method for use across the sector and geographical boundaries. The aim was to establish a model for a national peer assessment tool to support Early Careers Pharmacists (ECPs) development. Method: Participating ECP submitted cases using a standard template to be anonymised and distributed to three peer reviewers. An external supervisor provided a final agreement on the feedback given. Results: Two hundred and fifty pharmacists participated in peer assessment from a range of sectors and locations.   75.5% (n=566) of potential peer reviews were completed with an average score at expected standard for an ECPs. Commonality of sector experience between submitter and peer did not affect scoring. Conclusion: These findings support acceptability and feasibility of asynchronous pharmacy peer assessment across sector and geographical boundaries.