Breaking down barriers: A qualitative study of the influence of clinical space design on teamwork.

Background: Delivery of safe maternity care requires not only individual competence but collective team work, influenced by knowledge, team culture and physical working spaces. The ideal layout for a birthing unit is not known, but deliberate changes to the built environment can influence patient care.

Aims: To explore the impact of creation of an open 'hub' on maternity team culture in a tertiary birthing unit and how physical changes to the environment shape values and practice.

Materials and methods: Semi-structured interviews of members of the interprofessional team in a tertiary birth suite were performed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Seventeen healthcare workers participated in interviews. Themes included: (i) enhanced psychological safety; (ii) impacts on teamwork; (iii) unintended consequences; and (iv) future directions for team cohesion and collaboration.

Conclusions: Changes to the built environment can impact team work. This qualitative study identified benefits and unintended consequences to removing a wall, creating a maternity hub. Individuals, departmental leadership, and hospital executives should consider how changes to the built environment can be an effective and efficient way to shape teamwork and organisational culture.