BackgroundPeer assisted learning (PAL) has been described as “the development of knowledge and skill through active help and support among status equals or matched companions”. To enhance the learning experience of health professions students and improve collaborative and collegial learning, six pilot Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) projects were conducted across a health science faculty.MethodsA responsive mixed method evaluation design was applied to explore the adequacy of the preparation for PAL, the impact PAL had on student attainment of examination, consultation, communication and feedback skills and to explore students’ learning experiences through PAL.ResultsThe 149 participants agreed the training programme was well organised, offered a safe learning environment and prepared the participant for the PAL activity. The impact of PAL included improvements in students’ confidence and ability to give feedback and developed students’ teaching, clinical and communication skills. Qualitative analysis revealed participants experienced deeper learning through teaching and learning from their peers, became more open to giving and receiving feedback and valued the comfortable/safe learning environment offered through PAL.ConclusionProviding appropriate training in peer teaching and feedback and the schools engagement and openness to peer learning in the classroom and clinical setting enhances students’ peer assisted learning experience.

Where is the patient's voice in health professions education (HPE)?The notion of 'Nothing about us without us' is endorsed by the World Health Organization framework on integrated person-centred health services 1 that emphasises the importance of co-development between health care professionals and the people using health services. This has resulted in a change of relationship between patients and health care professionals from traditional paternalism towards shared decision making that involves active and equal health care partnerships. 2 This trend towards patient and community involvement in health care was further extended in the 2015 Vancouver

Consumers are confident managing minor ailments through self-care, often self-medicating from a range of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines available from community pharmacies. To minimise risks, pharmacy personnel endeavour to engage in a consultation when consumers present with OTC enquiries however they find consumers resistant. The aim was to determine stakeholder perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators for information exchange during OTC consultations in community pharmacies and to understand the elicited themes in behavioural terms. Focus groups were undertaken with community pharmacist, pharmacy assistant and consumer participants. Independent duplicate analysis of transcription data was conducted using inductive and framework methods. Eight focus groups involving 60 participants were conducted. Themes that emerged indicated consumers did not understand pharmacists’ professional role, they were less likely to exchange information if asking for a specific product than if asking about symptom treatment, and they wanted privacy. Consumers were confident to self-diagnose and did not understand OTC medicine risks. Pharmacy personnel felt a duty of care to ensure consumer safety, and that with experience communication skills developed to better engage consumers in consultations. They also identified the need for privacy. Consumers need education about community pharmacists’ role and responsibilities to motivate them to engage in OTC consultations. They also require privacy when doing so.

Aim: People with dementia commonly live with multiple comorbidities. This review aimed to review medications to manage chronic conditions in people who also have a diagnosis of dementia. The secondary aim was to determine whether drug utilisation for other conditions change as a result of dementia diagnosis. Methods: Data source: We included experimental and observational studies where participants with dementia were diagnosed and treated for one or more comorbid conditions that reported health outcomes or drug utilisation. Study selection: MedLine and Embase databases were searched from inception to March 2016 (updated September 2016). Three researchers screened titles, abstracts and full-text articles, then extracted data using a data extraction sheet. Results: Six studies met inclusion criteria with 51 696 participants (mean age 81.1 AE 2.0 years, 78% female). One experimental study compared bisphosphonate use with placebo in people with mid-stage dementia and found reduced risk of non-vertebral fractures (OR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.12-0.61) in the bisphosphonate group. Five observational studies reported drug utilisation for people with dementia to treat comorbidities, namely depression, osteoporosis, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Drug utilisation was found to be similar for depression, diabetes and cardiovascular disease for people with and without dementia, although bisphosphonate use was significantly reduced. Conclusion: Evidence on medication use for comorbidities in people with dementia is currently limited to drug utilisation patterns and treatment of one comorbidity: osteoporosis. Comorbidities for people with dementia appear to be managed pharmacologically until the late stages of disease without considering time to benefit or that it is a life-limiting condition. 1.13 (0.93-1.38) CHADS = congestive heart failure, hypertension, age >75, diabetic, history of stroke.

Empirical evaluation of interventions using active learning techniques such as face-to-face training with role-play can improve some communication skills. However interventions that are not fully described limit the ability for replication and/or generalisability. This review identified interventions targeting pharmacy personnel. Future interventions to improve communication should consider the consumer's role in OTC consultations.