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Recent NHS reforms have had a profound impact on the role of clinicians in the field of management. Traditionally this has been a role eschewed by clinicians, but the evolution of the clinical directorate model has now encouraged senior members of the medical profession to address more positively managerial and management issues. If clinicians are to embrace enthusiastically the management role, it is clear that their awareness of the range of techniques available to them is raised to its maximum potential. In this respect, explores the relevance of some more radical creative problem‐solving techniques within a practical environment. The concentration is on two specific techniques which were put to trial in real working situations. However, in addition to the techniques addressed, there are a range of alternative problem‐solving techniques which may be more appropriate. Having piloted the two creative problem‐solving techniques described, the practical conclusions were that their application had developed better team working and spirit, enhanced the quality of patient care delivered by the team and improved productivity and outcomes.

The war in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic have made international business activities increasingly difficult and risky. The worldwide economic downturn and slow growth in domestic markets are forcing companies to depend more than ever on overseas trade. SARS emerged in China in November 2002 and has spread to 26 countries. The SARS epidemic has caused the most severe economic crisis in Southeast Asia since the wave of bank failures and currency devaluations that swept the region five years ago. The SARS epidemic has prompted health officials to implement travel advisories and restrictions, in order to defer nonessential travel to regions of Asia with large numbers of SARS cases. They are enforcing quarantine and isolation measures in major cities to try and limit the spread of SARS. The President of the United States has signed an executive order adding SARS to the list of communicable diseases that can be quarantined. A major disruption in China could paralyze just‐in‐time supply chains and cause an economic crisis for retailers and other businesses worldwide. The SARS epidemic has caused many economists to drastically reduce their economic‐growth forecasts for Asia. New infectious diseases, such as SARS, can emerge and easily travel around the globe, infecting less‐resilient hosts and mutating because of the influence of viruses and bacteria in their new environment. Health officials are even more concerned about the pandemic disaster that hasn’t happened, but may still. However, the SARS epidemic has created positive economic benefits for some companies.