NHS GRAMPIANtiative

Mediation & Conflict Management Training Initiative

Case Study

NHS Grampian

Context

• NHS Grampian - Teaching Health Board - 3rd largest in Scotland

• 17,000 staff• Revenue budget of £850m• Mix of rural and urban• Some pressure and stress on the

system

NHS Grampian

The need for change

• Former Acute Trust survey in 2001, 47% of staff reported bullying behaviour

• NHS Staff Survey in 2003/04, 28% of staff experienced bullying behaviour

• NHS Staff Survey in 2005/06, 17% of staff experienced bullying behaviour

NHS Grampian

What we did

Dignity at Work•Policy and procedure (revised since)

•Education and awareness sessions

•Leaflet•Confidential Contacts

NHS Grampian

What happened next

• Long standing/deep rooted problems• Solution very difficult - lose-lose

outcome• Multi policy interchange• Evidence that managers ‘not good’ at

handling conflict• HR asked to support• Nowhere else for cases to go but UP!

Resourcing a Solution

• Dignity at Work Officer•Advises on best practice •Develops interventions and solutions

NHS Grampian

Another Way –

• Mediation and conflict management training initiative

• Two strands•New option for resolving workplace disputes

•New training in skills for managing conflict

NHS Grampian Dignity at Work

Mediation and Conflict Management (1)

Emerging themes and issues• Perceptions about

independence• Confidence in processes• Time taken • Ability to influence outcomes

versus disempowermentNHS Grampian

NHS Grampian

Mediation and Conflict Management (2)

• Investigated available options• Stakeholder evaluation: 1-day

conflict management training pilot• Building support – HR, Grampian

Area Partnership Forum (GAPF)• Finding resource - GAPF

Endowment

Mediation and Conflict Management (3)

• Combined role: rationale for mediators/conflict management trainers (MCMTs)

• Recruitment campaign to find volunteers• Open to all employees• Publicity eg in-house newsletter, e-mail bulletins• Realistic preview – information sessions

• Selection & Assessment process• role description, person spec, application form, screened/Scored,

OPQ, Assessment Centre

NHS Grampian

NHS Grampian

Mediation and Conflict Management (4)

• Training Process• Six-day Certificate in Mediation Skills• Three-day train-the-trainer course• Assessed training delivery

• Celebration/ recognition event • Publicity, Launch, Road Shows• Gate-keeper role – Mediation Service• Continuing development for MCMTs

NHS Grampian

What we have learned so far

Training delivery•Positive reaction, interest levels•Trainers – feedback, live coaching•Challenges

Waitlists, logistics, demand versus trainer availability, matching resource to need, prep time

sensitive issues and the unexpected How much can you achieve in a day?

•Training evaluation Now and after

What we have learned so far (2)

Mediation can make a difference but• Do we have enough mediators?

• Attrition, demand etc

• Have key officers got the message?• What about constraints & challenges :

• clinical setting • availability• venues• expectations• administration • managing risks

NHS Grampian

Supporting managers through conflict (1)

Workplace mediation provides managers with a new option for conflict resolution

• Skilled mediators• Relatively quick turn-around• Independent, impartial, neutral

NHS Grampian

Supporting managers (2)

• Links with People Management Programme

• Opportunity to share experiences with others who have ‘been there’

• New perspective on conflict• New techniques and a chance to practice

these in a safe setting before using them ‘for real’

NHS Grampian

Conflict Management Training

What happens next?

• New cohort trained by July 2009• Same approach to selection and

training (with refinements)• Raise profile of mediation in 2009• Link conflict management training with

HSE Stress Management Standards

NHS Grampian Dignity at Work

Questions

NHS Grampian Dignity at Work