Improving primary care through multidisciplinary teamwork: possibilities and challenges

The provision of accessible and equitable primary care is critical to meet the needs of growing and ageing populations, and to curb the increasing costs of secondary care. The use of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) is being promoted to deliver and strengthen primary care on the basis this offers opportunities for more holistic care, potential cost savings and the more effective use of a diverse and skilled workforce. MDTs need to be effective if they are going to achieve these intended goals. While the evidence-base informing overall MDT design has not developed substantially [1, 2], there is growing evidence around the benefits and challenges to the incorporation of specific disciplines, such in the primary care setting for specific purposes including pharmacists helping to address polypharmacy [3] or practice nurses in the management of diabetes.