Teamwork and collaboration

Collaboration is central to professional practice and needs coordination among everyone involved, mutual respect, clear and culturally safe communication and an understanding of each profession's roles, limits and ethics; working in a team does not reduce a psychologist's personal accountability for their conduct and services. In a team or collaborative setting, effective practice means the psychologist: (a) knows their own and others' roles and carries out the responsibilities of their role; (b) supports a clear division of roles and responsibilities when practitioners from several professions are involved; (c) communicates well with team members, colleagues and practitioners so clients receive continuous help; (d) tells clients who the team members are and who is ultimately responsible for coordinating the team; (e) sets an example of ethical, professional behaviour; and (f) supports students, supervisees and other team members.

• Team care plans naming each member's role and the coordinating practitioner
• Case conference minutes
• Client information sheet naming the team members and the coordinator

• Client unsure who is coordinating their care
• Responsibilities overlap with no written allocation