The problem
The intermediate care workforce spans a wide range of disciplines, each bringing distinct expertise. Even in systems with integrated teams, traditional boundaries and line management structures can reinforce silos and limit the potential for true collaboration.
There are specific challenges relating to the therapeutic workforce in terms of both capacity and how they are deployed across.
Voices from stakeholders
“There are distinct differences in the way different parts of the workforce work, are trained, act, and see their roles”.
“What we really wanted to get to was a place where you have a therapist that followed a person out into the community...until that transition had been completed".
“For me, operating to the same principles is more important than structural integration — working as a team of teams”.
Actions
F1. Build a One Team approach
| Step | Action |
| Step 1 | Establish a shared vision, service model, strategy and purpose for the intermediate care workforce across organisational boundaries. |
| Step 2 | Organise interdisciplinary training programmes alongside a clear competency framework, so that teams are clear on which members have the right skills and capabilities for any given requirement. Both registered and unregistered members bring specific expertise. |
| Step 3 | Where possible, bring different professional groups together in shared physical or virtual spaces to encourage informal communication and mutual trust. |
| Step 4 | Designate champions within each professional group to drive collaboration and act as points of contact for joint initiatives. |
F2. Deploy the therapeutic workforce more effectively
| Step | Action |
| Step 1 | Ensure Allied Health Professionals are deployed with a focus on community and home settings as well as hospitals, maximising their time in direct therapeutic work. |
| Step 2 | Review the current deployment and identify opportunities to redeploy therapeutic resources to areas where it has the most impact on independence outcomes. |
| Step 3 | Review evidence of impact on independence outcomes and identify further opportunities for re-deployment. |
Productivity impact
A flexible, well-deployed workforce that works as one team delivers better outcomes, higher staff satisfaction, and more efficient use of resources.
[Link to case study]