GCC launches Chiropractic Complaints Mediation Service pilot

The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) is supporting the launch of the Chiropractic Complaints Mediation Service (CCMS), an independent pilot service designed to help resolve suitable concerns through mediation.

Delivered by Nockolds Resolution, the pilot will explore whether mediation can help some concerns be resolved earlier through constructive discussion and agreement, where appropriate. The service forms part of the GCC’s approach to handling concerns. Mediation may be considered for suitable cases, while concerns involving patient safety, serious misconduct or other matters requiring regulatory investigation will continue through the GCC’s Fitness to Practise process.

The service is free to use and independent of the GCC’s decision-making processes. The pilot will run for a limited period and will be evaluated before any longer-term decisions are made.

Nick Jones, Chief Executive and Registrar, General Chiropractic Council, said:

“The launch of the Chiropractic Complaints Mediation Service is an important opportunity to explore how an independent, mediation-based approach could help resolve suitable concerns more quickly and effectively for both patients and chiropractors.

We are committed to ensuring concerns are handled fairly, proportionately and in a way that supports public confidence in the profession. This pilot will help us understand how mediation can provide an additional route for resolving appropriate concerns at an earlier stage, complementing rather than replacing our existing regulatory processes.”

Hannah Fellows, Director of Fitness to Practise, General Chiropractic Council, said:

“The mediation pilot presents an opportunity to address a need that is not currently fully met through existing processes. For some patients and chiropractors, what they are seeking is an early, constructive conversation that helps resolve concerns and rebuild understanding, rather than a formal regulatory investigation.

Mediation could provide a more flexible and collaborative way of resolving suitable concerns, while ensuring that issues that raise questions about patient safety, professional standards or fitness to practise continue to be managed through the GCC’s established procedures.

Through this pilot we hope to gain valuable insight into how mediation could improve the experience of those involved, support earlier resolution where appropriate, and contribute to a more proportionate approach to managing concerns whilst maintaining public protection.”

Jennie Jones, Director and Head of Nockolds Resolution, said:

“We are delighted to be launching the Chiropractic Complaints Mediation Service in partnership with the General Chiropractic Council. Using our experience across healthcare regulation, we are pleased to be working with the GCC and the chiropractic community to evaluate whether mediation can provide an effective way of resolving concerns, restoring trust and helping all parties move forward positively.

This pilot represents an exciting opportunity to explore how an independent, confidential and resolution-focused service can benefit patients, chiropractors and the wider profession, while helping the GCC assess whether mediation can provide an effective and proportionate complement to existing regulatory processes and support public confidence in chiropractic care.”

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