Collaborate, federate, work together; the current mantra in general practice.
Sharing best practice and innovation so every organisation is stronger and more equal. It advances the 'resilient practice' agenda and helps promote greater consistency in patient care across providers.
But. We are not one big NHS company; we are separate little businesses. We are in competition, aren't we?
To an extent we compete for patients to increase income. If not, without doubt, we currently compete to recruit staff like never before and what about the natural competitive instinct to want to be the best? Surely these create a desire to protect our individual strengths and are barriers against collaboration.
Whilst we are pushed towards sharing and equality, is there a balance to what is comfortable and not counterproductive? Can just enough be shared to benefit the wider patient and primary care community or will competitive barriers be too big?
What is becoming clear is that to overcome some of the challenges faced, recruitment and workforce issues being one, then more is likely to be achieved through trust and being less protective of things we traditionally see as a competitive advantage.
Collaboration not competition is likely to answer this conundrum.
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