Teamwork is a complex but essential component of palliative care. The needs of people diagnosed with life threatening disease will vary greatly over time, and it is rarely possible for just one professional to be able to provide adequate care. In order to ensure an holistic approach, the whole multi-disciplinary team must be involved. Inevitable questions arise from such an approach, and this book seeks to address these. How does a team come into being? What different formats are there? How might the patient contribute to the effectiveness of their care and the way in which the team operates? What are the difficulties and frustrations encountered in developing and maintaining such teams? What models of working and styles of leadership have developed? How are power and authority handled within the team setting? The importance of team building, training, support, attention to group process, and stress management to protect the mental health of the team are explored. The ethical issues inherent in palliative care such as consent, autonomy, confidentiality, decision making within teams, and the legal implications of such are also discussed. The book concludes with one important question - do we know if teams are the most effective way of providing care? This book addresses key issues surrounding the role of the team in palliative care, and is an essential guide to reappraising the importance of collaborative teamwork, and enhancing understanding of existing team structures.
Review: From the outset, multi- and inter-disciplinary teams are differentiated and chapters focus on these aspects. JAN Book Reviews, The style is easy and readable, providing well-referenced information. It is a thought-provoking and valuable addition to both teamwork and palliative resources, helpful for novice and expert, inviting critical reflection on teamwork in palliative care. JAN Book Reviews, This book takes thinking about palliative care teams to a new level. All aspects are critically reviewed: team composition and functioning, team building and leadership, managing stress and conflict, ethical and legal issues and, most importantly, team effectiveness. Even the sacred tenet of palliative care teams is challenged-we know good palliative care makes a difference, but is this difference primarily due to the team or could it be equally well delivered by sufficiently resourced individuals? At a time when there is a leaning towards the medicalisation of death, this thought-provoking book puts the team back centre stage. Palliative Care,