Interprofessional Practice (IPP): from Text to Context

Abstract

There is a significant gap between the theorising of interprofessional practice (IPP) and the existence of IPP in community healthcare teams who provide services to people with severe mental illness (SMI). This study aims to clarify the concept of IPP both in the literature and in self-identified teams focused on improving the physical health of people with SMI in Queensland. It is widely acknowledged that the physical health of people with SMI is poor and their healthcare needs remain unmet. The reasons for their poor health outcomes are multiple and complex, and as the complexities of their healthcare needs increase, so too does their reliance on the healthcare system. However, the healthcare system is also complex with multiple problems, including a lack of continuity, fragmentation of services, and shortages in workforce and skills. In response to this complex situation, scholars and policymakers repeatedly call for the integration of care through multidisciplinary healthcare teams that practise in interprofessional ways. The challenges to the implementation of IPP are many, and include professional educational differences, a paucity of opportunities to learn together, and competition for limited resources. The community mental healthcare team is one place where an interprofessional approach is thought to be critical, especially to deliver services to those with multiple complex needs created by SMI and comorbidities. People with complex needs rely on multiple healthcare providers who are required to operate with continuity across disciplinary and organisational boundaries.