Colleague Support and Mediation

The Colleague Support and Mediation Resource

The CSAMR shall be appointed annually by the Executive of the Institute and shall consist of at least three members who are senior members of the Institute

The CSAMR’s functions will be:

  1. To offer support, consultation and mediation to individual members, trainees or groups within the Institute, where conflicts have been unable to be resolved within the Institute’s normal procedures.
  2. To offer an informal, benign holding space, where conflicts and distresses can be heard and contained in a confidential manner.

Phase 1 – The Colleague Support Group

  1. To act in a consultative capacity to individual members offering support and clarification re possible management for any troubling issue they may have with regard to themselves or a colleague.
  2. To act in a mentor capacity to members in distress over professional concerns.
  3. To offer supportive consultation to members or trainees for their concerns regarding any related personal issue which may be affecting their professional functioning.
  4. To offer supportive consultations in an informal benign, holding space, where such conflicts and distresses can be heard and contained in an impartial, confidential manner.  This space shall be differentiated from supervision or personal therapy.
  5. If any matter is felt to raise serious ethical issues, the colleague supporter will need to consult with the Ethics Subcommittee or refer the matter to the Ethics Subcommittee, if necessary.  All such consultations and referrals shall occur only with the knowledge of the member concerned.

Structure and Procedures

  1. The Colleague Support Group shall be appointed annually by the Executive Committee of the NSWIPP.
  2. It shall consist of at least three senior members of the Institute who are of at least ten years’ good standing.
  3. It is preferable that the Colleague Supporters should not be holding a major administrative position within the Institute.
  4. The names and telephone numbers of the Colleague Supporters shall be published in the NSWIPP newsletter at regular intervals.
  5. The consultations offered by the Colleague Supporter shall be free and confidential.
  6. It is envisaged that a support colleague may see a member or trainee for a brief period i.e. 1 to 3 consultations and then reviewed if necessary.  It is possible that the need may arise for support over a longer period of time e.g. through an illness or court case etc.
  7. If it should arise that a Colleague Supporter is not in a position to see a trainee or member, then a referral to an alternative Colleague Supporter will be advised and if no-one is appropriate, then the President shall be consulted.
  8. There shall be no obligation for the Colleague Supporter to report to the Executive, other than to clarify procedural matters.
  9. It is envisaged that each Colleague Supporter shall be asked to comment on their experience and whether they wish to continue in a yearly review with the President.
  10. An overview of the functioning of the Colleague Support Group will be included in the President’s report.
  11. As this is an evolving resource, these Terms of Reference will require regular reviews and further definition.
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