From “Multidisciplinary Teamworking
Indicators of Good Practice” by Valerie Wilson and Anne Pirr

http://www.moderntimesworkplace.com/good_reading/GRWhole/Multi-Disciplinary.Teamwork.pdf

What does the term ‘multidisciplinary teamworking’ mean? At first glance, it may seem obvious that the definition is members of different professions working together. And yet it becomes only too apparent from the literature that it is far from a clear concept. The terms ‘multidisciplinary’ and ‘interdisciplinary’ are often used interchangeably. Leathard (1994) identifies the various prefixes (‘multi’ and ‘inter’) and adjectives (‘disciplinary’
and ‘professional’ ) which researchers and practitioners use. She refers to this as a ‘terminological quagmire’ (p6) and it is this which must be clarified before multidisciplinary
teamworking can be fully understood or implemented successfully. In our earlier research (Pirrie et al, 1997, 1998, 1999) we suggested that the distinction between ‘inter’ and
‘multi’ is based upon three dimensions. These are: numerical; territorial; and epistemological. It would be all too easy to dismiss these distinctions as academic and fail
to see the relevance to professionals who are attempting to work together to deliver a ‘client-focused’ service in different settings. For example, how many professions
must be present before a team is truly multiprofessional? this is a question which is central to understanding multidisciplinary teamworking. Many argue that the difference
between ‘inter’ and ‘multi’ is largely numerical. ‘Inter’ working appears to involve two professions only (Carpenter, 1995), but becomes ‘multi’ if more than two groups are involved. By way of illustration: the working relationship between a nursery teacher and nursery nurse would be interdisciplinary; whereas a primary school teacher, classroom assistant, nursery nurse, learning support teacher and parent volunteer could form a
multidisciplinary team.