A critical realist model of complexity for interprofessional working.

This paper presents a theoretical model of complexity for considering issues relevant to interprofessional working. The need for such a model is introduced with reference to the literature on collaboration and integration in health and social care, particularly in children's services. It is argued that interprofessional working is often seen as a response to complexity, but that current models fail to build an appreciation of complex causality into their approach to addressing needs through targeted interventions. The alternative offered here is a critical realist model based on Bhaskar's domains of reality, focusing on the implications of open systems, complex causality and contingency. These ideas are used to examine some of the issues and dilemmas typically encountered by interprofessional networks in coming together to work on complex cases.