Reducing risk in health‐care teams: an overview

This article examines problems in the delivery of healthcare by teams, with special reference to those encountered in the NHS. It identifies best practice in effective management of teams from non‐health‐care settings and seeks to show how these principles can be applied to the health‐care arena. It reviews examples of research into team performance in health‐care delivery, and provides resources useful to those setting up, reorganising or maintaining health‐care teams. It offers practical advice concerning the important factors to be considered when undertaking these activities.