The SoR and twelve other organisations have signed a joint professions' statement to:
- Affirm joint commitment to the importance of multi-professional team working to deliver better outcomes for patients
- Identify key issues which need to be addressed to enable clinicians to work to their full potential and practice at the top of their licence to deliver the highest quality healthcare at a time when the NHS is under unprecedented financial and workload pressures
- Jointly commit to work together and with employers, educators and government to deliver real improvement in services to patients and the work experience of professional clinical staff.
Representing a range of clinicians across primary and secondary care, the statement talks about the 'value of multi-professional work' citing evidence that "consistently shows that multi-professional team working delivers better outcomes for patients and more effective and satisfying work for clinicians. Multi-professional work requires flexibility in attitude and behaviour and for professionals to value and respect the distinct contribution each professional makes."
The text notes that "It does not however mean all professionals aspire to undertake an alternative professional role. Most clinicians value their professional identity and can be proud of contribution they make within their roles. As professional bodies, we are committed to ensuring that our members’ professional identity and expertise acts to maximise the impact of the team in the delivery of patient centred care and not as a silo or barrier to good care and professional development. Building a 'joyful team' leads to good work and better care."
The document identifies "key issues on which clinicians, professional bodies, employers and government must work together to support better care and better work for staff" which include recruitment and retention, new solutions for delivering healthcare, professional development/career pathways, and valuing staff.
Signatories to the joint statement as well as the Society are the:
Academy for Healthcare Science
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
British Association of Art Therapists
British Dental Association
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
College of Operating Department Practitioners
College of Optometrists
Queen’s Nursing Institute
Royal College of Midwives
Royal College of Nursing
Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists
Royal Pharmaceutical Society
The statement can be downloaded here.