NHS Grampian

Mediation and Conflict Management Training

A new training initiative has proved that history can tell us a lot. Breakdowns in communications and relationships can negatively affect individuals and teams and can drain resources from organisations. When NHS Grampian was faced with a steady demand for support to resolve conflict, the they looked to the past for ideas to improve the future.

Working in partnership and studying cases in retrospect, they looked at how workplace conflict could have been handled better, how problems could have been identified earlier, resolved more quickly or avoided altogether. What NHS Grampian found was that there were many missed opportunities.

This prompted the development of an exciting training course that heralded a new era in tackling workplace conflict in NHS Grampian - the Mediation and Conflict Management Training Initiative. Through this, employees have access to Conflict Management training as well as a mediation scheme.

NHS Grampian saw that by building skills to support staff make positive early interventions in conflict situations, the issues that affect staff get on with each other and with their work were more likely to be dealt with quickly and effectively

The conflict management training is delivered to NHS Grampian staff by specialist in-house trainers who have undergone a robust and thorough selection and development process.

NHS Grampian report that a key factor in their success has been the dedication of their Dignity at Work Manager, Janet Fraser. Janet has been instrumental in ensuring that the initiative was properly managed. She says that other Boards should not underestimate the project management and administrative support required to make sure things run smoothly. Importantly, individuals who are keen to become trainers and their line managers need to be fully aware of what the employee’s commitment will mean in real terms - for example, time taken out from their primary role.