Scottish NHS Boards embrace mediation and select CMP Resolutions to establish a top-flight mediation service

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has chosen CMP Resolutions after a competitive tender process, to introduce their framework of workplace mediation across three of the Special Boards in NHSScotland: NHS Health Scotland; NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS); and NES. This will enable the health service in Scotland to deliver a high-quality dispute resolution service to enable its workforce to access early, local and impartial conflict resolution services.

CMP Resolutions will train HR staff as qualified mediators, through CMP’s national benchmark certificate programme, “The Qualified Workplace Mediator” 6-day ILM endorsed programme. CMP will be supporting NES with a rigorous recruitment process to ensure a strong calibre of mediators for the training; demonstration taster sessions will be held across Scotland in the coming months. As part of the cohesive approach, CMP are also training over 60 line managers in conflict management skills with a tailored “Conflict Management for Managers” 1-day ILM endorsed programme. This will work as a multi-strand approach, with managers more confidently able to manage conflict at source, but also able to identify where cases need to be referred to the mediation service.

Ultimately CMP will also work closely with NES to evaluate the outcome of the training and also the ongoing effectiveness of the mediation service as a whole; to ensure a demonstrable return on investment.

Deputy Director at NES, Christine McCole, says:

I am delighted to embark on this project with CMP Resolutions and looking forward to utilising their expertise to help deliver our framework for mediation and conflict resolution across the three Health Boards. The investment in this project encapsulates our vision of “Better Educated Staff, Better Patient Care”.

Managing Director at CMP Resolutions, Katherine Graham, says:

“Scotland can reasonably claim to lead the way in the UK in terms of workplace mediation, so we were particularly delighted to have been selected by the Scottish NHS as their partners in this project. It is always exciting to work with organisations that are committed to making their investment in mediation more than just a one-off project, and who instead see mediation as a key part of their culture change programme. These three Boards all demonstrate a real commitment to quality; I am confident that CMP will provide the quality partner they deserve.”

For more information on CMP Resolutions and the three NHS Boards please download the full press release document here.