Management Issues

In a multi-disciplinary team such as those in general practices, it is likely that professional divisions will exist. These divisions are problematic for the efficiency of the practice and the levels of care it seeks to provide. It is therefore the responsibility of those within the leadership team to coordinate care in a way which encourages communication between the different professionals that are working with a patient. It is also important for those involved to be committed to the cause of integration, to be open, to be proactive about sharing information, and to have a mutual understanding and respect for each other.

Teamwork and communication can also be improved through the delivery of multi-professional learning resources. It is vital that managers and leaders facilitate and use learning programmes which involve the different professions of the primary health care team. This will firstly make the learning itself more in-depth, but it will also widen each individual’s perspective of primary healthcare and their role within it.

An example of the importance of communication can be found in the coordination of clinical supervision which many nurses working in general practice may wish to arrange. Clinical supervision involves the meeting of a supervisor with another professional in order to discuss casework and other professional issues in a structured manner. Some practices may already have a system in place for clinical supervision to be carried out. If the practice you are working at does not, and you would like to implement it, you will need to discuss this with the management team. Clear communication and openness is vital at this point. It is recommended that these meetings occur in a place where there will not be any interruption and that they happen on a monthly or six-weekly basis. Meetings that occur more than this may not be accepted by the management team. In a circumstance such as this, it is important to maintain a good basis of communication with the members of the practice team who will not be directly involved in these sessions, outlining what the purpose is and how the sessions will aid the practice.