Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 December 2013
This paper aims to show how effective teamworking can be achieved in Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs), in the context of recovery-focused care.
A narrative review of various governmental policy documents and selected papers relevant to teamworking and recovery-focused care within mental health services, in an Irish context.
Effective teamworking within CMHTs is a prerequisite to the provision of quality, recovery-focused care. It requires the management of various environmental (e.g. adopting a ‘recovery’ model of mental health), structural (e.g. sharing of responsibilities and capabilities) and process (e.g. utilising a clear referral pathway) factors that influence teamworking, as CMHTs develop over time.
Completion by CMHT members of teamworking and other evaluative measures can assist teams in highlighting potential interventions that may improve recovery-focused team functioning and effectiveness.