Abstract:
The practice of professional supervision within the health, justice and social service sector has increased greatly since the advent of the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act (HCPA, 2003). As supervision is seen as a key vehicle for the continued development and diversification of professional skills, the demand for trained and competent supervisors has increased, with the resultant gap between demand and provision. The limited literature on interprofessional supervision (IPS) suggests both advantages and limitations (Mullarkey& Playle, 2001). There is the potential for IPS to be, at worst disempowering for the supervisee, and at best improve functioning in multidisciplinary teams, broaden skills and improve interactions with consumers (Zorga, 2002). There are also calls to examine the impact of IPS on the integrity of professional roles within multidisciplinary teams (Townend, 2005). This paper presents the results of a survey into the opinions and experiences of psychologists and social workers practicing interprofessional supervision in Aotearoa New Zealand. The survey examined such aspects as the rationale for seeking IPS, opinions as to how well it attends to the formative, normative and restorative functions of supervision, the perceived advantages and limitations for the supervisor and supervisee alike. Some initial recommendations regarding preparation, training and developing IPS will be made.