Intervention in health care teams and working relationships

Mary Laurenson, Tracey Heath, Sarah Gribbin

University of Hull, Faculty of Health and Social Care, Department of Health Professional Studies, Cottingham, Hull, United Kingdom

Introduction: Communication is an intrinsic part of collaborative working but can be problematic when the complexities of professional and personal identities inhibit quality care provision. This paper investigates these complexities and recommends interventions to facilitate collaborative working.
Methods: A qualitative comparative approach examined data collected from participants using purposive non-probability sampling. Perspectives were obtained from four professional groups (nurses, social workers, care managers, and police), from different organizations with different theoretical and practice frameworks, and from a fifth group (informal carers).
Results: Curriculum change and leadership initiatives are required to address the complexities inhibiting collaborative working relationships. Integrating complexity theory, personality typology, and problem-based learning into the curriculum to understand behavioral actions will enable interventions to effect change and promote the centrality of those being cared for.

Keywords: interprofessional education and working, complexity, communication, personality, problem-based learning