Healthcare professionals collaboratively building a bridge of light, symbolizing trust.

Building Bridges: Why Trust is the Foundation of Effective Healthcare Teams

Rhea Morgan in Health & Wellness August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unlock the secrets to fostering trust in healthcare and discover how it directly impacts patient care and team success."

In the demanding world of healthcare, trust is a vital ingredient for a smoothly running team. But how do you cultivate this essential element? This article explores the multifaceted nature of trust in healthcare, examining its components and offering strategies for its development and maintenance.

Over the years, trust has been defined in numerous ways. Rousseau et al (1998) describe it as 'a psychological state comprising the intention to accept vulnerability based upon positive expectations of the intentions or behaviour of another.' Meanwhile, Maguire and Phillips (2008) focus on a more interpersonal aspect, defining trust as 'an individual's expectation that some organised system will act with predictability or goodwill.' These definitions highlight the core elements of vulnerability and expectation that underpin trust.

Mahon (2013) emphasizes the emotional context of trust within healthcare, noting that individual perspectives greatly influence it. Despite reports of declining trust in other sectors, recent studies like White (2017) indicate that trust within healthcare has remained relatively stable. The definition of trust continues to evolve, underscoring the need for a comprehensive understanding that encompasses both health and social care.

The Power of Trust: How it Impacts Healthcare Teams

Healthcare professionals collaboratively building a bridge of light, symbolizing trust.

Trust is more than just a feel-good concept; it's a critical element in effective healthcare. When team members trust each other, they're more likely to collaborate effectively, share information openly, and support one another during challenging situations. This, in turn, leads to better patient care and a more positive work environment.

The NHS Constitution (Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), 2013) emphasizes the importance of caring and compassion, setting an expectation for the public. It also underscores that earning trust requires delivering quality care, positive patient experiences, and overall safety. While the Constitution explicitly mentions 'trust' only twice, the expectation of trust permeates the entire healthcare system.

Tell the truth
Be willing to admit mistakes
Share information openly
Support transparency
Seek information from multiple sources and not merely rely on what they are told by their close advisers
Reward contrarians and so avoid groupthink
Protect whistleblowers.

Furthermore, trust plays a vital role in navigating uncertainty, a common element in healthcare settings (Dietz et al, 2010). When patients are ill, vulnerable, and uncertain, their inclination to trust their clinician becomes even more critical. As Hall et al (2001) state, trust is 'the optimistic acceptance of a vulnerable situation in which the truster believes that the trustee will care for the truster's interests.' This highlights the importance of competence in building patient trust and confidence.

Fostering a Culture of Trust: A Path to Success

Research indicates that trust is cultivated through effective leadership practices, resulting in improved patient care, increased innovation, and enhanced quality and safety (Akualrub et al, 2012). A culture of trust and commitment, rooted in shared values, is essential for success.

When leaders and staff consistently demonstrate these values, trust flourishes, leading to greater staff engagement (MacLeod and Clarke, 2012). As Searle and Skinner (2011) highlight, trust offers numerous advantages, including improved performance, motivation, positive attitudes, increased efficiency, and stronger collaboration.

By prioritizing trust and fostering a culture of open communication, transparency, and ethical behavior, healthcare organizations can create a more positive and productive environment for staff and patients alike. This not only improves patient outcomes but also strengthens the organization's reputation and fosters a sense of shared purpose.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.12968/bjhc.2018.24.2.61, Alternate LINK

Title: Why Is Trust Important For Effective Healthcare Teams?

Subject: Health Policy

Journal: British Journal of Healthcare Management

Publisher: Mark Allen Group

Authors: Adam Layland

Published: 2018-02-02

Everything You Need To Know

How is trust defined in healthcare?

Trust in healthcare is described by Rousseau et al (1998) as 'a psychological state comprising the intention to accept vulnerability based upon positive expectations of the intentions or behaviour of another.' Maguire and Phillips (2008) define trust from an interpersonal aspect, stating it is 'an individual's expectation that some organised system will act with predictability or goodwill.' These definitions highlight the core elements of vulnerability and expectation that underpin trust. Building this trust involves clinicians demonstrating competence, sharing information openly, and admitting mistakes, as highlighted by the NHS Constitution (DHSC, 2013).

Why is trust important for healthcare teams?

Trust is crucial for effective healthcare teams because it fosters collaboration and open communication. When team members trust each other, they are more likely to share information, support one another, and work together effectively, leading to better patient care and a more positive work environment. This is supported by the NHS Constitution (DHSC, 2013), which emphasizes the importance of caring and compassion, demonstrating that trust is essential for delivering quality care, positive patient experiences, and ensuring overall safety.

How can healthcare providers build trust?

The NHS Constitution (DHSC, 2013) emphasizes the importance of earning trust by delivering quality care, positive patient experiences, and overall safety. To build and maintain trust, healthcare providers should tell the truth, admit mistakes, share information openly, support transparency, seek information from multiple sources, reward contrarians, and protect whistleblowers. These actions create a culture of trust, leading to increased innovation and enhanced quality and safety, as research by Akualrub et al (2012) suggests.

Why is patient trust especially vital in healthcare?

Patient trust is especially vital in healthcare because patients are often vulnerable and uncertain. As Hall et al (2001) state, trust is 'the optimistic acceptance of a vulnerable situation in which the truster believes that the trustee will care for the truster's interests.' Trust allows patients to accept care, follow medical advice, and feel secure in their treatment. Clinicians must demonstrate competence and compassion to build patient trust, particularly during uncertain or challenging health situations.

How is a culture of trust fostered in healthcare?

Fostering a culture of trust can be achieved through effective leadership practices. Research by Akualrub et al (2012) indicates that these practices result in improved patient care, increased innovation, and enhanced quality and safety. A culture of trust and commitment, rooted in shared values, is essential for success. Creating such a culture involves team members being willing to admit mistakes, share information openly, and support transparency. These actions lead to increased trust and improved patient outcomes.