Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS)
DOPS is designed to provide feedback on procedural skills essential to the provision of good clinical care. The mandatory procedures have been selected as sufficiently important and/or technically demanding to warrant specific assessment.
They are normally collected opportunistically throughout your training. Certain DOPS will be easier to collect in certain specialties and you are advised to take every opportunity to have your competence in such skills recorded. This can be done by a GP trainer, a consultant, staff grade, a registrar or appropriate nursing staff. You will be required to demonstrate each skill within the context of both the hospital and of general practice.
There are eight mandatory procedures to be covered:
- Application of simple dressing
- Breast examination
- Cervical cytology
- Female genital examination
- Male genital examination
- Prostate examination
- Rectal examination
- Testing for blood glucose
Some of these procedures may be combined e.g. prostate and rectal examinations.
There are also currently eleven optional procedures which should be recorded, if undertaken. The specific list will change from time to time. In addition, should the educational need arise, GPStRs may
be requested to repeat DOPS assessment of Foundation procedural skills.
DOPS should be recorded in your eportfolio by your assessor using the following link: https://eportfolio.rcgp.org.uk/forms/default.asp?id=109