ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE TEAMS
The clinical literature provides limited guidance on what makes
a good team. However, key features of successful team working
in other situations have been utilized to provide guidance for
PRM physicians in highly respected rehabilitation texts, such
as that edited by DeLisa (15). These include (16):
• agreed aims;
• agreement and understanding on how best to achieve these
(avoiding jargon unique to a particular profession);
• appropriate range of knowledge and skills for the agreed task
• mutual trust and respect;
• willingness to share knowledge and expertise and speak
openly.
The team should work with people with disabilities and
their families to negotiate and agree on appropriate, realistic
and timely treatment goals within an overall coordinated
rehabilitation programme (1). These goals should be personcentred,
should not be imposed on the individual and should
be endorsed by the team as a whole rather than by a single
professional. Goals also need to be adjusted repeatedly as the
PRM programme proceeds.