RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Knowing yourself – understanding others – how an awareness of personality type can help with change JF BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care JO BMJ Support Palliat Care FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group SP 243 OP 243 DO 10.1136/bmjspcare-2011-000105.117 VO 1 IS 2 A1 Sarah Pearce A1 Sue Nash YR 2011 UL http://spcare.bmj.com/content/1/2/243.1.abstract AB Introduction As an intrinsic part of a major service redesign and implementation project, members of St Catherine's Community Team undertook a planned development programme focusing on personal and team development. The driver for this development programme was the implementation of a new Community Care Model to meet the Department of Health's End of Care Strategy that a ‘palliative care service should be available 24 h a day and 7 days a week in order to make it possible for those who want to die at home to do so.’ The context of the development programme was, therefore, one of high change and challenge that saw 31 new members of staff joining the Community Nursing Teams including 2 new community team leaders. Part of this programme was a workshop on the theory of Personality Type. Extensive research over many years into personality types has shown that there are many personality related indicators that can impact upon the way in which people interact with one another. Discussion This presentation will highlight how the programme impacted on the teams who undertook the programme. By focusing on personality type with a reference to change we were able to explore why some people find change exhilarating while others find it overwhelming. These differences may be the cause of misunderstanding and miscommunication. Some of the things participants fed back were:- ▶ ‘appreciating individual approaches to the same situation, neither being right or wrong – learning from each other’,▶ ‘Looking at personality type and how I modify approach to patients, also how I try to support colleagues’. Attention in the presentation will be given to how the programme impacted on the teams who undertook the programme and the impact this in turn had on patient care during a time of change.