ABSTRACT

The study of how different health and social care professionals work together in the team caring for a patient reveals the value to patients of integrated teamworking. But research also shows how organisational policies can militate against effective interprofessional working. Two examples are discussed from a study by the authors: the impact of bed-filling policies in fragmenting teams and the exacerbation of divisions in teams produced by the Care Programme Approach. Clinical governance demands good communication between care professionals but this can be compromised by policies that inadvertently draw team members apart. Solutions require scrutiny and modification of policy, structure and process.