Factors influencing service coordination in rural South Australia

Abstract

This paper discusses those factors identified in both the review of literature and from the results of nine focus groups held in rural communities that influence service coordination. The paper shows that the practice wisdom of service coordination is congruent with the findings from research on this topic. It discusses the facilitators, inhibitors and triggers to service coordination within these communities. Informal networking and the support given by management are recognised as important facilitators and the competitive tendering funding process and ‘professional elitism’ are seen to be major inhibitors to service coordination. Important triggers of service coordination were perceived to be the efforts of key individuals in providing leadership of the coordination process and the keenness of human service workers to reduce duplication.

Keywords:

• networking
• rural
• service coordination