The power of autonomy and resilience in healthcare delivery

New in The BMJ

In a new article published today, 4 July 2023, in The BMJ, 'The power of autonomy and resilience in healthcare delivery' Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, Founding Director of the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, and colleagues urge the UK National Health Service (NHS) to not lose sight of the lessons learned in resilience and autonomy during the pandemic.

The authors, Professor Russell Mannion, University of Birmingham, UK, Professor Mark Exworthy, University of Birmingham, UK, Professor Siri Wiig, University of Stavanger, Norway, and Professor Braithwaite, argue for “system oversight arrangements that allow more space for enhanced local autonomy to facilitate bottom-up resilience in the face of challenging local contexts.”

Key messages cover how health systems can offer support; what’s needed from the local workforce; the role of leaders; and the distribution of resources.

The authors also champion the ability and willingness of frontline healthcare staff to self-organise and respond rapidly to new challenges.

The implication is that the core of healthcare reform should not be the top-down admonition to the frontline, “this is what you need to do” but rather, “where are you trying to go and how can we help you get there?”

Please contact chrissy.clay@mq.edu.au to arrange an interview with Professor Braithwaite.

CENTRES RELATED TO THIS NEWS

Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science

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Chrissy Clay, Media and Research Outreach Coordinator

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