Conflict Resolution for NHS Staff

116 000 incidents of assault on NHS staff were reported to the national audit office in 2002/2003. Being able to work in a safe and secure working environment is of paramount importance, not only for your personal well being, but also to ensure that the highest standards of clinical care can be made available to patients.
Tackling violence against staff and professionals working in the NHS is a key area of specific action for the Security Management Service of the NHS. Although various reactive measures have been put into place to deal with incidents of physical and non-physical assaults, the National Syllabus of Conflict Resolution has been developed as a preventative measure to assist frontline staff and professionals to deal effectively with incidents of violence or aggression in the workplace.
This training will help you to develop effective responses to diffuse and deal with potentially violent situations and will help provide vital skills that will enhance your safety at a time when you may desperately need them!

Objectives
By the end of this course delegates will be able to:

• understand the common causes of conflict.
• understand the differences between verbal and non-verbal communication.
• identify barriers to effective communication.
• use different communication models to assist in resolving conflict.
• identify warning and danger signs of impending violence.
• understand the importance of distance when dealing with conflict.
• understand the use of “reasonable force”.
• describe and use different methods for dealing with various conflict situations.

Contents:

Conflict
Understanding conflict - difference between conflict, aggression and violence
Our role in managing conflict constructively
Keeping Calm - techniques on how to remain calm during a conflict situation.

Communication
Verbal and Non-verbal communication during a conflict situation
Transactional Analysis
Factors contributing to communication breakdown

Conflict Resolution Models
Understanding 3 different models designed to resolve conflict
Skills practice using the models
Patterns of Behaviour
Batari’s Box – cycle of behaviour
Warning and Danger signs – “fight or flight”
Use of Distance – Personal Spatial Zones
Impact Factors – safety awareness and environment assessment
“Reasonable Force” - Will the Law Protect Me?
Reporting of Incidents
Reporting procedure
Factors to consider
Scenarios
Discussion and skills practice relating to “real life” incidents