A Practitioner-Led Approach to Understanding Multi-Professional Working Across Health and Care: Co-Constructing the Integrated-Component Assessment Framework (I-CAF) and the Development Matrix for Integration (DMI)

TL;DR

This paper introduces two tools, I-CAF and DMI, to help multi-professional teams in health and care assess and improve their collaboration.

Contribution

The paper presents a new practitioner-led framework and matrix for assessing and enhancing multi-professional teamwork.

Findings

I-CAF combines scoping reviews, concept mapping, and action research to build the DMI.

DMI serves as a self-assessment tool for professionals to evaluate team strengths and development areas.

The approach is adaptable for use in other service areas beyond health and social care.

Abstract

This paper has two key purposes – to describe and introduce the Integrated-Component Assessment Framework (I-CAF) and the Development Matrix for Integration (DMI).

The I-CAF is a new approach to practitioner-led team assessment, comprised of three methodological component parts – a Scoping Review, a Group Concept Mapping study, and Collaborative Action Research with practitioners. We then go on to describe and outline how the findings from those three components and the context within which the I-CAF was established have led to the co-construction of the DMI.

The DMI is an assessment matrix for completion by a range of professionals engaged in interprofessional and multi-professional working across community health and social care services in both the public and voluntary sectors. Through utilisation of this new approach, a robust self-assessment tool is promoted which enables stakeholders to identify their team’s strengths and areas of development, and to reflect on change over time.

The paper also identifies that the I-CAF approach may be relevant and useful to other areas of practice within and without health and social care. If adapted, the DMI could also provide a template for development in other areas of service.

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