ABSTRACT
Regulatory processes, policies and ethical charters do not necessarily translate into clinician engagement with restraint reduction. While regulatory and assurance processes have an accepted role to play in directing clinician behaviour, there is a range of complex factors that influence clinical engagement and subsequent action taken by an individual clinician or a group of clinicians. There is increasing understanding of the links between engagement with clinicians, high quality care and good outcomes for individuals. This chapter looks at the role of doctors in reducing restraint and restrictive practices. It explores the historical lessons of a doctor-driven restraint reduction program, considers the role of doctors’ ethical codes, explores personal factors which may influence doctors’ behaviour regarding restrictive practices and considers the importance of medical engagement as part of the broad role of quality improvement to reduce harm and improve care.
