Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
A failure of function : Teamwork in primary health care. / West, Michael; Poulton, Brenda C.
In: Journal of Interprofessional Care, Vol. 11, No. 2, 1997, p. 205-216.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A failure of function
T2 - Teamwork in primary health care
AU - West, Michael
AU - Poulton, Brenda C
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - The objective of this research was to explore the extent of teamworking in primary health care in the UK and compare primary health care teams with other multidisciplinary teams on fundamental critieria of team functioning. A survey was conducted, using a validated questionnaire which measures four aspects of team climate: participation, shared objectives, task orientation and support for innovation. Sixty-eight primary health care teams participated in the questionnaire survey, with additional comparison data from: 24 oil company teams; 27 NHS management teams; 20 community mental health teams; 40 social services teams. The total number of respondents across three samples was 1,555. Main outcome measures were levels of team participation, support for innovation, task orientation and clarity of, and commitment to, team objectives. Primary health care teams scored significantly lower than other teams in the sample on all team functioning factors except task orientation. It is concluded that a restructuring of the organization of primary health care is required if primary health care teams are to develop clear shared objectives to facilitate the coordinated approach to the delivery of care, long urged by practitioners and policy makers.
AB - The objective of this research was to explore the extent of teamworking in primary health care in the UK and compare primary health care teams with other multidisciplinary teams on fundamental critieria of team functioning. A survey was conducted, using a validated questionnaire which measures four aspects of team climate: participation, shared objectives, task orientation and support for innovation. Sixty-eight primary health care teams participated in the questionnaire survey, with additional comparison data from: 24 oil company teams; 27 NHS management teams; 20 community mental health teams; 40 social services teams. The total number of respondents across three samples was 1,555. Main outcome measures were levels of team participation, support for innovation, task orientation and clarity of, and commitment to, team objectives. Primary health care teams scored significantly lower than other teams in the sample on all team functioning factors except task orientation. It is concluded that a restructuring of the organization of primary health care is required if primary health care teams are to develop clear shared objectives to facilitate the coordinated approach to the delivery of care, long urged by practitioners and policy makers.
KW - Teamwork
KW - objective
KW - participation
KW - innovation
KW - primary health care
KW - organizations
U2 - 10.3109/13561829709014912
DO - 10.3109/13561829709014912
M3 - Journal article
VL - 11
SP - 205
EP - 216
JO - Journal of Interprofessional Care
JF - Journal of Interprofessional Care
SN - 1356-1820
IS - 2
ER -