"Inter-Agency collaboration: why is it so difficult?" is the title of an enduring article written by Dr Dorothy Scott OA when she was the A/Prof of Social Work at Melbourne University over 30 years ago. I had the pleasure of working with her as Patron of REFS, a youth and family mediation and support service that I was CEO of at the time.

In re-reading this article this past week it seems little has changed in terms of some of the challenges faced in getting organisations to work together - whether they be peak bodies, colleges, health entities or other NFP or community organisations.

Dorothy says that 'In contrast to the amount of rhetoric on collaboration, co-operation and co-ordination the reality is that it remains very difficult to achieve."

She continues: 'Interagency collaboration is not just a matter of organisations talking to one another for the simple reason that organisations can't talk. It is people who act, not organisations."

She concludes: "I suggest we start to unlock the secrets of how effective collaboration occurs, even in the face of what might appear to be unsurmountable obstacles. If we put our collective minds to it I think we could do it better."

Regardless of the particular challenge faced - competition for funding, understanding cultural issues, competing priorities or different views of health related issues and how best to address them - the solutions to many of our biggest health challenges are best addressed collaboratively, with each organisation bringing it's knowledge, experience and connections to the table.

Let's not forget why our organisations exist - to improve the quality and durability of health outcomes for Australians. There are plenty of opportunities before us - it is as people working together, setting aside our parochial agenda's, that we can achieve so much more.

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Inter-Agency collaboration: why is it so difficult?

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