.png)
Staff Conflict in General Practice: Try Mediation First
Staff conflict in general practice can affect far more than the people immediately involved. In this eGPlearning conversation, Dr Clare Sieber joins Dr Hussain Gandhi to discuss how mediation can help practices respond before disagreements become entrenched and working relationships deteriorate.
As a practising GP and CEDR-accredited mediator, Clare brings an understanding of both the pressures of primary care and the difficulties that arise when colleagues struggle to work together. The video introduces mediation, considers its place alongside formal processes and explores why it can be useful to seek support earlier.
Watch the full episode
Dr Clare Sieber on eGPlearning
Staff Conflict in General Practice Try Mediation First
Published 12 July 2026 · 21 minutes
Why staff conflict in general practice deserves early attention
A disagreement may begin between two colleagues, but its effects can spread through a practice. Conversations become more guarded, decisions take longer and other team members may feel drawn into the difficulty.
For practice managers and GP partners, this can mean spending increasing amounts of time managing the consequences of a dispute. Addressing the problem early creates an opportunity to understand what is happening before assumptions become fixed and the disagreement starts to shape everyday working life.
What an independent mediator can offer
Mediation provides a structured conversation with an impartial person who helps those involved explore the issues and possible ways forward. The participants retain control of whether they reach an agreement and what they agree.
An independent mediator can be particularly useful when attempts to resolve matters internally have stalled, or when colleagues are concerned about how others within the practice might view the situation.
The process gives people space to explain their concerns and hear a different perspective. It can also help turn broad frustration into specific matters that can be discussed.
Why consider mediation before positions become entrenched?
An early conversation may be easier to arrange while people are still willing to explore a way forward. As a dispute continues, frustration can build and colleagues may become increasingly certain that they already understand the other person’s intentions.
Considering mediation early gives a practice another option when ordinary conversations have not resolved the problem. It does not require everyone to agree about what has happened before they begin.
Acas also recommends addressing disagreements promptly and considering mediation when informal attempts at resolution have been unsuccessful. Its guidance on mediation at work explains how the process can support working relationships.
How mediation fits alongside formal procedures
The suggestion to try mediation first is an invitation to consider its suitability early. Formal grievance, disciplinary and legal processes remain necessary in some situations, and mediation should not delay action that needs to be taken.
Mediation is voluntary. Those involved need to be willing to participate, with a clear understanding of the process and its confidentiality arrangements.
Assessing the nature of the concern and the needs of the people involved helps establish whether mediation is appropriate, when it might help and what other support may be needed. The video includes discussion of these distinctions.
Finding a workable way forward
A useful outcome needs to make sense in the day-to-day life of the practice. Depending on the disagreement, this might involve clearer expectations, a different approach to communication or agreed steps for raising concerns in future.
The people involved are best placed to consider what they can realistically commit to. Mediation gives them a structured opportunity to explore those possibilities.
For more about the support available for staff and team difficulties, explore General Practice Mediation’s workplace and employment dispute services.
About General Practice Mediation
General Practice Mediation supports GP partners, practices and PCNs in resolving disputes constructively and confidentially.
If your PCN or practice is facing governance or relationship challenges, you can book a free 30-minute consultation at a date and time convenient for you.
Comments