This book is about a vital aspect of healthcare; that is, how people collaborate. At the heart of this book is the RESPECT Model of Collaboration in healthcare produced during a doctoral research project. Following this research a number of practitioners have explored this model in their practice and they were invited to write up their experiences and insights in a number of chapters in this book.

The intended audience for this book includes healthcare practitioners, educators, managers and others with an interest in how people in healthcare collaborate. Readers will be invited to look at ways that this dynamic model can be utilised insightfully in their practice.

In the RESPECT Model, collaboration is presented as:

R Reflexive

E Endeavours (in)

S Supportive

P Practice (for)

E Engaged

C Centred-on-People

T Teamwork

The title RESPECT reflects the goal and practice of patient-centred care. The model is not presented as a universal approach for people to adopt in their practice but rather it offers ideas to explore, expand and critique to build an even greater understanding of the complex phenomenon of collaboration and to create our own ways of practising respectfully. This reciprocal and synergistic way of working is exactly what respect and collaborating is about. By engaging with others’ experiences and conceptualisations, this book is an expanded version of the initial thesis. The model serves as a means of influencing other people’s practices which in turn can develop and challenge the model.

There are four sections in the book:
• Professional relationships

• A study of collaboration in healthcare

• Applying the RESPECT Model of Collaboration in healthcare practice

• Educational applications of the RESPECT Model of Collaboration.