ABSTRACT
Problems, whether they affect individuals or organizations, are at one level opportunity. As professionals working in a hospital, one may have the choice as to whether one first offers consultation before taking on a referral. Health care workers who consult within hospitals and offer a clinical service in the hospital may slip in and out of clinical consulting roles. Problems are inevitable in organisations, and not all of them require consultation. Seeking advice from a colleague about managing a case can also be the start of consultation. The internal consultant in the hospital setting does not take on clinical responsibility for a case or the problem, this remains with the consultee. Professionals may work as clinicians or consultants at different times in the hospital; they are rarely full-time consultants. Consultation is therefore potentially of value in any situation where professionals experience uncertainty, unpredictability and change in a hospital setting.
