Since 1993 the PCDS has been the leader in dermatology education across the UK. Delivering over 40 conferences per year the PCDS draws from expert speakers across Primary, Intermediate, and Secondary Care. The education targets all healthcare professionals and meetings are colour-coded to help define the level of dermatology education. The PCDS works with major NHS stakeholders; the society can also be contacted independently by other groups wanting to discuss educational proposals. The lead for this subgroup is Dr Angelika Razzaque.
The PCDS has been part of the GPwSI program since 2000, and led the way for the development National Accreditation Program for GPwERs (GPs with Extended Roles) since 2017. While the accreditation process is run jointly by the British Association of Dermatologists, the Royal College of General Practitioners, and the PCDS, this is a distinct subgroup that has been set up to support the educational needs of its members, discuss the future scope of practice of GPwERs/GPwSIs, and review barriers to practice. This lead for this subgroup is Dr Naomi Kemp.
The PCDS works with NICE, the British Association of Dermatologists and other national stakeholders on guidelines and other matters related to skin cancer. The lead for this subgroup is Dr Kash Bhatti.
The PCDS prides itself on delivering high-quality, small group, hands-on, surgical workshops. The lead for this subgroup is Dr Christy Chou.
The PCDS has been teaching dermoscopy at all levels for many years. In 2017, we split the courses into beginners, intermediates, and advanced level, and these are updated regularly. We have a wealth of experience and expertise in the practicalities of using dermatoscopes of different types, and have tested and reviewed most of the scopes on the UK market. The society can also be contacted independently, to provide bespoke education on using scopes on behalf of health systems purchasing dermatoscopes for multiple people. We are committed to bringing the beauty of the dermoscopic world into primary care and beyond! The lead for this subgroup is Dr Chin Whybrew.
There is a strong Scottish contingent in the PCDS and the Scottish Meeting is one of the four main annual meetings of the Society. The need for a Scottish Subgroup recognises that there are organisational and financial differences between health services in Scotland and the other nations. Building on the success of the Inverness Meeting this year, we plan to hold more meetings in the north of Scotland over the next few years. Lorna Patterson is the lead for this subgroup.
Either through working on the shop floor or in the CPCS (Clinical Pharmacy Consultation Service), pharmacy is playing an increasingly important role in the delivery of Dermatology. The group, which is led by Dr Stephanie Gallard, can be contacted by pharmacy groups, national organisations, and pharmaceutical companies to discuss educational initiatives.
The dermatology workload for nurses and other healthcare professionals has increased significantly over recent years. This subgroup supports nurses, physician associates, paramedics, and other primary healthcare professionals with an interest in dermatology. The subgroup is led by Julie Van Onselen.
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