Paired learning – improving collaboration between clinicians and managers

Close collaboration between NHS clinicians and managers is essential in providing effective healthcare, but relationships between the two groups are often poor. Paired learning is a peer-peer buddying tool that can break down barriers, increase knowledge and change attitudes. Paired learning has been used with doctors and managers but not for multi-professional clinicians. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether a paired learning programme (PLP) can improve knowledge and attitudes between multi-professional NHS clinicians and managers.

A PLP pairing clinicians and managers over a four-month period to participate in four buddy meetings and three group meetings was delivered. A mixed methods study was completed which collected quantitative and qualitative data in the form of pre- and post-course questionnaires and focus group discussions.

Participants reported increased understanding, changed attitudes and better communication between clinicians and managers following the PLP. Self-rated knowledge increased across all domains but was only statistically significant for ability to engage, ability to establish shared goals and knowledge of decision-making processes.

This paper highlights the value of paired learning in encouraging collaboration between clinicians and managers but is of a small size. The PLP did not provide enough data to examine relationships and interaction between clinicians and managers, this should be considered in any future work.

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the only published paper showing data from a PLP involving multi-disciplinary health professionals.