Collaboration in Health and Welfare

Specialist knowledge in all caring professions is advancing rapidly but, the author argues, this cannot benefit generic patient care without collaboration between agencies and professionals working in medicine, nursing, social work, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, amongst others. This study demystifies the concept of collaboration so that it can be widely understood. The author suggests a framework to enable collaboration to take place, and details the skills which can be used to facilitate the process. She concludes that interprofessional and interagency collaboration can be creative and exciting despite the problems involved, and should be a taught and resourced part of each professions's repertoire of skills, organisation and culture.