GMC Commissioned research reveals insights to enhance teamwork in healthcare

A new paper has revealed the challenges and enablers in fostering effective teamwork in healthcare.

Image shows a doctor working on a laptop

In healthcare, teamwork is crucial for patient outcomes. It also offers a multitude of other benefits; a supportive teamwork environment can lead to improved efficiency, reduced errors, and a work culture that retains valued staff. 

Now, a new report by researchers at Hull York Medical School has revealed insights into the complexities, challenges, and enablers in fostering effective teamwork within healthcare. The details of this report aim to help guide efforts to improve teamwork. 

The report, commissioned by the General Medical Council and titled ‘Teamworking: Understanding barriers and enablers to supportive teams in UK health systems’, is an extensive exploration into various facets impacting healthcare teams across primary, secondary, and private healthcare settings. 

Led by Dr Paul Crampton and Dr Millie Kehoe at Hull York Medical School, the study involved interviews with 72 healthcare professionals across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, encompassing a broad spectrum of healthcare professionals, including doctors, midwives, occupational therapists, dieticians, as well as new and emerging roles in the NHS, and various grades within these professions. 

Enablers to teamwork 

The research highlighted several critical enablers facilitating effective teamwork within healthcare settings, and found these included areas relating to the organisation, the team workplace/environment, the teamwork and makeup of the team, and the individual. 

Some of these findings include: 

  • Effective communication: Acknowledged as a cornerstone, fostering transparent, and efficient communication among team members 
  • Familiarity with colleagues: Building a positive team culture through familiar relationships among healthcare professionals 
  • Understanding roles and respect for diverse roles: Recognising and respecting the roles of various healthcare professionals, including newer and emerging positions, to integrate them seamlessly into the team 
  • Inclusivity and awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion: Ensuring inclusivity and being aware of differing equality, diversity and inclusion 
  • Continuity and familiar teams: Emphasising the significance of cohesive teams, particularly in acute patient care scenarios, to ensure continuity and efficiency in healthcare delivery 
  • Positive culture and support: A culture that fosters compassionate and supportive teams, including kindness and approachability 
“We have quite a small team, which I think is actually quite a good thing, because it's small, IT's stable. We had the same people in the team for a long time. So, we know how people do things… we know our roles. And we know each other well.”
Consultant oncology

Dr Paul Crampton explained, “Effective teamwork not only leads to better patient outcomes but also significantly impacts the morale and satisfaction of the healthcare workforce, creating a positive environment for delivering care.  

“Effective teamwork cultivates enhanced staff satisfaction, fostering a workplace where individuals feel valued and supported. This translates into heightened morale, increased job satisfaction, and a cohesive, motivated workforce. 

“Moreover, an organisational emphasis on effective teamwork acts as a magnet for talent, leading to increased recruitment and bolstered retention rates within healthcare. The collaborative nature of effective teams contributes to the overall wellbeing of healthcare professionals, promoting mental health, and providing a supportive network."

Barriers to effective teamwork 

The research also pinpointed several barriers to effective teamwork, including: 

  • Service demand pressures: High demands and pressures within the healthcare service, often leading to strains on communication and teamwork 
  • Ineffective leadership: Instances of ineffective leadership hindering team dynamics and collaboration 
  • Lack of induction for overseas doctors: A lack of or inadequate induction processes, particularly affecting overseas doctors integrating into the workforce 
  • Misunderstanding of newer and emerging roles: Challenges in understanding and integrating newer roles within healthcare teams, leading to communication gaps and role ambiguity 
  • Transient team structures: Teams with short-term durations, like junior doctor rotations, posed challenges in team settling and cohesion 
  • Power imbalances between professions: Clashes between professions attributed to power imbalances and hindered collaborative efforts 
“It does worry me sometimes because there have been occasions where there’s been members of staff that haven’t been able to speak up to a consultant surgeon and that’s where errors have occurred.”
Operating Departments Manager

In addition to these barriers, the study identified a challenge posed by the role of Specialty and Specialist (SAS) doctors within the healthcare workforce. These doctors, often localised and employed within specific healthcare settings, serve as linchpins in team structures due to their extensive experience and pivotal roles.  

Dr Crampton said, “SAS doctors are integral in healthcare. They are senior doctors and fill numerous critical gaps in service delivery, and attract a considerable number of international professionals. 

“We found that misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding their roles and grading frequently led to ambiguity and misrepresentation within teams. While serving as a vital role within healthcare teams, their role also presents challenges within healthcare teamwork dynamics.” 

Next steps

The GMC intends to leverage the report's insights to guide stakeholders, commission further research, and tailor initiatives addressing critical areas identified in the research, to ultimately enhance patient care. 

The report’s release aims to fuel discussions, and Dr Crampton and experts in the Health Professions Education Unit will be running workshops with the GMC around the key areas identified in the report. 

These sessions will help to inform the GMC’s annual State of Medical Education report, and as such shaping future policies, educational approaches, and regulatory standards. 

Dr Paul Crampton said: "Teamwork is integral to an effective healthcare workforce and enhancing patient outcomes. Our findings reveal the ways in which healthcare professionals can work better together which can be targeted for specific interventions."

The report, Teamworking: Understanding barriers and enablers to supportive teams in UK health systems, is available on the General Medical Council website. 

For more information contact Dr Paul Crampton, Director of the Health Professions Education Unit.

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