From Inverness to Wales (virtually), March was a busy and energising month for the TALC team, working with clinicians and educators across the UK, all committed to improving the way consultation skills are taught and learned.
Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) offers targeted support to trainees through its PASS scheme, structured educational meetings designed for GP trainees who require additional guidance. Within this supportive framework, a group of experienced educators came together on Tuesday 18th March for a virtual workshop, led by Dr Julian Tomkinson, Dr Avril Danczak, and Dr Anne Thomas.
Their shared goal was to strengthen how consultation skills are taught using the TALC (Teaching and Learning the Consultation) resources more systematically and confidently.
The event was expertly supported and organised in collaboration with Swansea Bay Associate Dean, Dr Martin Sullivan, along with Gwent & South Powys Associate Dean, Dr Sarah Neville, and Sarah Harries, Administrative Assistant, GP Training, HEIW. Their coordination helped ensure that this was a seamless and purposeful session, bringing together educators who play a key role in supporting trainees receiving enhanced educational input.
Listening to the Educators: Adapting to Experience
This was no introductory session. Every participant was an experienced educator, already working closely with trainees through the PASS scheme. Some were familiar with the TALC resources, while others were newer to them. The session wasn’t about convincing anyone of the importance of consultation skills, it was about equipping them with practical methods to teach these skills more effectively.
The workshop focused on:
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Mapping learner needs to TALC modules – Educators explored how to link common trainee challenges with relevant chapters in the TALC framework, enabling targeted and tailored support.
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Using TALC as a structured curriculum – Rather than dipping in ad hoc, the session encouraged a more systematic approach, making it easier to plan long-term support for struggling learners.
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Exploring teaching methods embedded within TALC – From using checklists and structured tutorials to building interactive group discussions, educators examined practical methods that suit different learning styles.
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The “stop–start” technique with video consultations – This powerful reflective method was revisited and explored in depth, as a way to build shared understanding and promote thoughtful analysis of consultation behaviour.
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Module 9: Teaching and Learning Consultation Skills – This often-overlooked module was a focus, showing how it can be used to guide teaching approaches across different settings.
What Changed: Outcomes and Reflections
The feedback revealed three clear outcomes: structure, confidence, and clarity.
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Structure: Educators felt more confident in using TALC to create a clear, scaffolded plan for their teaching – not just a resource to pull from occasionally.
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Confidence: Many were reassured that they were already doing much of what the TALC resources promote. What they gained was language, structure, and new strategies to enhance their impact.
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Clarity: With practical demonstrations and space for discussion, participants came away with a clearer sense of how to approach challenging teaching situations using the language and techniques of the Calgary-Cambridge framework.
And from Dr Martin Sullivan, who provided the testimonial:
“Several GP educators in Wales had used TALC in the past and we therefore approached them based on these recommendations. From the start they were attentive to our needs, flexible in the delivery (as we opted for a virtual session) & clearly passionate and committed to the task at hand — which was to improve consultation skills teaching to GP trainees within our Deanery. Their credibility and competence in the subject matter is reinforced by the fact that they are everyday GPs as well as GP educators… I would have no hesitation in recommending them, and we fully intend to use them in the future for our own needs.”
Thank you to everyone involved. book a session with us today!
