Team Working in the Healthcare Sector in the United Kingdom - Dissertation Example

The subject matter represented by this dissertation seeks to look into leadership aspects regarding team working in the healthcare sector in the United Kingdom, along with the implementation of the innovation manager (IM), and if these factors have helped improve overall team effectiveness. This represents the context of this study that consists of four elements where the investigation of these in terms of definition, theories, concepts and the manner they are interrelated in terms of the subject manner is highly important.

 In terms of policy aspects, this study has three distinct elements represented by leadership, healthcare teams, and the innovation manager. The National Healthcare System (NHS Leadership Academy, 2013) advises that under policy there are nine dimensions of leadership behavior. The nine leadership dimensions consist of (NHS, 2015, p. 1):  “Inspiring a shared purpose, Leading with care, Evaluating information, Connecting our service, Sharing the vision, Engaging the team, Holding to account, Developing capability, Influencing for results.

“ Leadership theories represented by situational leadership, and relational leadership (Avoli, 2007) will be explored in the literature review. It will also include an understanding of the differences between leaders and managers in order to develop an understanding of NHS policy aspects for leadership as part of the three-part leadership, team working, innovation manager facets that represent key aspects of this study. In terms of team working, the NHS policy for this area is contained in a document titled “MDT Development” that provides the latest guidelines for multidisciplinary team working (NHS England, 2015).

The document (MDT Development) provides a detailed set of policies, tools and benchmark descriptions in the NHS. Team working in the NHS is comprised of a multidisciplinary approach which represents where the professionals comprising the team, more often than not, specialize in treating certain conditions such as cancer or other specialties (Health & Social Care Information Centre, 2016). Under this team framework (multidisciplinary), decisions regarding clinical areas are based upon the review of documentation represented by test results, case notes, diagnostic imagery or other inputs where the actual patient may or may not participate in the process (Health & Social Care Information Centre, 2016).

 In terms of the policy, the NHS states there are three key challenges that multidisciplinary teams are designed to meet (NHS England, 2015). These represent “risk stratification and case finding” that identifies how to segment patients in order to provide what is termed as “person-centered care” regarding areas diagnosed as being most in need in consideration of NHS resource constraints (NHS England, 2015, p. 1). The second aspect is “multidisciplinary team working” that consists of the manner health and care professionals cooperate and work together in order to see to the complex care needs of patients identified under “risk stratification and case finding” (NHS England, 2015, p. 1). The third area is “personalized care and support planning” which the NHS identifies as “the key vehicle” where NHS professionals work in conjunction with patients in order to see to their needs (NHS England, 2015, p. 1). The above summary explanation of multidisciplinary team working has been provided as it offers insights into a key patient policy, practice and operational areas of the NHS as it represents a core component in patient care delivery, its connection with leadership and the innovation manager.