What We Focus On

ICE + Clinically Relevant Information + Find the IMP
In small groups (5 trainees : 1 facilitator), we build on the familiar ICE framework (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations) but go further. You’ll learn how to:

• Gather clinically relevant information for safe, evidence-based management

• Understand the psychosocial context of the patient’s situation

• Explore the Impact, Meaning, and Priorities (IMP) of the patient’s condition—how it affects daily life, what it means to them, and what matters most

• Combine all of this to create tailored management plans that balance clinical need with patient priorities

Different Focus, Different Study Days
Each of our study days takes the same core approach — integrating ICE, clinically relevant information, psychosocial context, and the patient’s IMP (Impact, Meaning, Priorities) — and applies it in a different way:

1. Understanding Patients: Gathering the Right Information
   This day is all about data gathering. We’ll explore how to balance the biomedical story with the patient’s ideas, concerns, expectations (ICE), priorities, and wider context. By the end of the day, you’ll be confident in drawing out the information that really matters for safe, efficient, and patient-centred consultations.

2. Tailoring Management: Explaining & Agreeing the Plan
   This day is about using the data you’ve gathered to deliver management that makes sense to your patient — and to the examiner. We’ll focus on explanation skills, shared decision-making, and safety-netting that balances guidelines with patient priorities.

3. The 12-Minute Challenge: Consultation Skills for the SCA
   This day tackles one of the biggest challenges in the SCA: time management without cutting corners. You’ll practise recognising when to explore fully, when to focus tightly, and how to keep consultations flowing while still hitting the key domains. Using challenging case types, we’ll develop strategies to balance empathy, clinical reasoning, and safety within the time limit.