The quality of interaction between managers and clinicians: a question of trust

Abstract

A lack of trust between clinicians and junior/middle managers is well documented in health care systems but under-theorized. Face-to-face interactions between clinicians and managers, through which trust is constructed, are vitally shaped by assumptions drawn from local organizational characteristics, which in turn are embedded within national policy structures. These latter conditions require reform in order to enhance the quality and effectiveness of National Health Service management.

Notes

* The actions of individual managers in relation to these quality assurance structures are of vital interest for our purpose. They might explain both the ineffectuality of important aspects of these frameworks (Freeman and Walshe, 2004) and the way that clinicians' perceptions of managers is characterized by managers' policing of the adherence to targets, standards and stipulations (Calnan and Rowe, 2008).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Patrick Brown

Patrick Brown is an assistant professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Andy Alaszewski

Andy Alaszewski is Professor of Health Studies, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.

David Pilgrim

David Pilgrim is Professorial Research Fellow, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, UK.

Michael Calnan

Michael Calnan is Professor of Medical Sociology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.