Doctors and managers: building a new relationship.

There is a long history of problems in the relationship between doctors and managers. The reasons for this stem from the values of each group and the effect that these have on their views on a number of key aspects of healthcare and its delivery. Managers have been seen as the malign embodiment of changes in society and the instrument of the wishes of governments, which are often viewed with suspicion. High-quality healthcare is dependent on a productive partnership between doctors and managers and on doctors being prepared to take leadership roles. Both groups have skills and knowledge vital to the other, so each needs to recognise the strengths of the other and find ways to develop a productive partnership. Clinical work can be improved by the application of management techniques, and management would benefit from more clinical leadership.