INDEPENDENT HEALTH CARE V. NHS

Independent Health Care v. NHS

Independent Health Care v. NHS

Introduction

National policy makers and psychiatric educators have established the goals of teaching and promoting interdisciplinary care as high priorities. This article describes the implementation of an inter-professional seminar for which the dual aims were to provide a knowledge base for treating individuals with serious mental illness and to reach how to work collaboratively with other disciplines. The realization that communication within the healthcare community is lacking and in serious need of improvement is a growing concern for healthcare providers and professionals across the board. Current literature shows a trend towards promoting interdisciplinary training and collaboration across disciplines. (Marek & Yamamoto 2003, 61)

For many years the position of physician and nurse were the two primary professional relationships found within the medical setting. Clearly there were other allied healthcare professionals within the healthcare arena; however, for the most part it was the professional relationship between the physician and the nurse that set the tone and culture of the healthcare facilities.

Historically it has been a professional relationship that has struggled with communication and collaboration issues. Current literature research indicates recognition of these deficits and the need to not only enhance and improve communication and collaboration between physicians and nurses, but healthcare professionals from other disciplines. In contrast to the early history of healthcare where the physician and nurse were the primary healthcare providers, the healthcare field has greatly expanded as evidenced by the presence of numerous healthcares professional and allied healthcare professionals from a multitude of varied disciplines. (Loening & Kuestermann 2006, 98)

PPPs and PPC in the health sector can take a variety of forms with differing degrees of public and private sector responsibility and risk. They are characterized by the sharing of common objectives, as well as risks and rewards, as might be defined in a contract or manifested through a different arrangement, so as to effectively deliver a service or facility to the public. The private sector partner may be responsible for all or some project operations, and financing can come from either the public or private sector partner or both.

Discussion

Health Sector is important and timely in light of the challenges the public sector is facing in healthcare finance, management, and provision. Many governments are confronted by fiscal constraints that force them to carefully prioritize and restrict public expenditures. Moreover, many public health systems are already indebted and face further fiscal pressures, such as the need to provide care to increasingly aging populations, improve quality, or invest in often expensive medical treatment and technology advances. For those governments that wish to explore this approach, turning to the private sector can, when appropriately structured and executed, help address specific cost and investment challenges, deliver improvements in efficiency (e.g., improved service provision and management at reduced costs), and enhance service quality (e.g., increased expertise, more rapid and substantial investments in infrastructure and new medical technologies, a potential to attract and retain better performing ...