Western Health.

Colin Baker

Leadership is a fundamental skill required in all areas and sections within healthcare organisations. The leadership of the team seems simple and although it is a combination of multiple disciplines, skills, and roles; it actually is!

One philosophy of team leadership in my view is one of best outcome for patients and clients, through each component of the team working together hand in hand with each other.

The ‘team’ is the object – each member and role is equally important in the process or function of the delivery of best care. It is not about treating one discipline more or less important within the group. The philosophy is a holistic one that facilitates the organisations’ strategies to improve the patient journey with improved access, appropriate service and good outcomes. This leads to more care benefits, added value, user feedback, and more strategic thinking and planning.

Each discipline of the team has different needs and skills required to complete the workflows.  These have to be considered independently and in discussion, with those groups involved. This is carried out through routine stakeholder and group review that includes process detail examination. However, as part of this discussion, the group benefits from the integrated understanding, required as part of functioning together. The integration will be addressed, discussed, strategized, solution driven, agreed and tested for implementation.

Through this process above, the outcomes are accepted more easily with modified services and workflows. It is more complicated and time consuming, as necessary, with reviews for full change management, modification or totally new methods and models of care.

I would draw you back to the team and the single philosophy of providing best care.