Making connections between the appraisal, performance management and professional development of dentists and teachers: ‘right, what are the problems we’ve got and how could we sort this out?’
Evaluating the connections between the appraisal, or performance management, of different professional groups, and their subsequent uptake of continuing professional development (CPD), is valuable for both employees and managers. The linking of appraisal systems with professional/personal development plans amongst health professionals is now fairly commonplace, although less so amongst dental practitioners. Within teaching, shifts away from appraisal towards performance management have changed the ways in which teachers now regard their professional development. This paper focuses on the introduction of a pilot appraisal scheme for general dental practitioners (GDPs) (n = 20) in a West Midlands Primary Care Trust, comparing findings with existing practices of professional review amongst teachers (n = 28) in the same region. It is apparent that for many professional groups the outcomes of appraisal/performance management meetings now have significant implications, not least through their connection to CPD ...