Leadership topics
Team working
Research shows that effective team working can make a substantial contribution towards reduced hospitalisation and costs, increased patient safety, improved patient health, innovations in patient care and improved staff motivation and well-being (Borrill & West 2002). Effective team working has a vital contribution to make to good Clinical Governance.
The work of Borrill & West (2002) highlights that effective teams are ones that:
- Have clarity of and commitment to team objectives.
- Fully involve all team members in the processes and activities of the team.
- Focus on quality through regular review and feedback on their performance in relation both to their team processes and achievement of their objectives.
- Support creativity and innovation.
In the 2004 NHS Staff Survey (Healthcare Commission 2005) 91% of staff said they worked in a team. However when the survey probed more deeply and asked questions about the structure and processes of their teams, only 43% were working in teams that met the evidence-based criteria for well-structured and effective teams identified above. Given this statistic a focus on team development is one way in which the Clinical Governance agenda can be supported and enhanced.
References
Borrill C & West M (2002) Team Working and Effectiveness in Health Care: Findings from the Health Care Team Effectiveness Project. Birmingham: Aston Centre for Health Service Organisation Research
Healthcare Commission (2005) NHS national staff survey 2004: summary of key findings. London: Healthcare Commission.