Prescribing is one of the most important and challenging tasks that doctors perform every day. It requires a combination of knowledge, judgment, and attention to detail, as well as an awareness of the potential risks and benefits of different medicines. Prescribing errors can have serious consequences for patient safety and quality of care, as well as legal and ethical implications for prescribers.

According to a GMC-sponsored study, 9% of hospital prescriptions contain errors, and new graduates often find prescribing the most difficult aspect of their transition to practice. To address this issue, the GMC has defined prescribing competencies that all medical students must demonstrate by the end of their undergraduate training. These competencies cover eight domains: prescribing, prescription review, planning management, communicating information, calculation skills, adverse drug reactions, drug monitoring, and data interpretation.

However, how can medical schools and employers ensure that their students and trainees have achieved these competencies and are ready to prescribe safely and effectively? How can they provide feedback and support to help them improve their prescribing skills and confidence? How can they benchmark their performance against national and international standards?

This is where the Prescribing Skills Assessment (PSA) comes in. The PSA is an online assessment tool that measures prescribing competence in a realistic and robust way. It is derived from the UK Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA), which is a mandatory national assessment that all UK medical students must pass before graduation. The PSA uses the same online platform and tests the same eight domains of prescribing competence as the UK PSA, but it can be adapted to suit local education and prescribing practice in different countries.

The PSA consists of 60 multiple-choice questions that simulate common prescribing scenarios in various clinical settings, such as general practice, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, elderly care, and emergency medicine. The questions are written by experienced prescribers and educators from different specialties and reviewed by a team of prescribing experts. The questions are designed to assess not only factual knowledge but also clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

The PSA is delivered online through a secure and user-friendly platform that can be accessed on any device with an internet connection. The candidates have two hours to complete the assessment, which can be taken at any time and place that suits them. The platform provides instant feedback on each question, as well as a detailed report on their overall performance and areas for improvement. The candidates can also compare their results with their peers and with national and international benchmarks.

The PSA is not only a reliable and valid way of assessing prescribing competence but also a valuable learning resource that helps candidates prepare for the assessment and improve their prescribing skills. The platform offers access to e-learning modules that cover the core topics and principles of safe and effective prescribing. It also provides practice papers that allow candidates to familiarise themselves with the format and content of the assessment and test their knowledge and skills before taking the real exam.

The PSA is suitable for anyone who wants to measure and improve their prescribing competence, whether they are medical students, foundation doctors, specialty trainees, or qualified prescribers. It is also ideal for organizations that want to ensure that their staff is competent and confident in prescribing, such as medical schools, hospitals, clinics, or regulatory bodies.

One of the organizations that offer the PSA is BPS Assessment (BPSA), the learning and assessment arm of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS). BPSA has been delivering the UK PSA since 2012 and has developed the international version of the PSA in collaboration with local partners in Australia and New Zealand. BPSA also offers other products and services related to prescribing education and assessment, such as e-learning courses, workshops, webinars, consultancy, and bespoke solutions.

If you are interested in taking or offering the PSA or any other BPSA products or services, you can visit their website at https://www.bpsassessment.com/ or contact them at info@bpsassessment.com. You can also sign up for a free account at https://www.bpsassessment.com/ to access some of their freely available resources.

Prescribing is a vital skill that can make a difference in patient outcomes and quality of care. By taking or offering the PSA, you can ensure that you or your staff are competent and confident in prescribing safely and effectively. You can also benefit from a range of learning resources that can help you enhance your knowledge and skills in this crucial area of practice. The PSA is changing the game in assessing prescribing competence - don't miss this opportunity to join it!