Regions Now: Mediation techniques to help manage complaints in practice

Veterinary receptionists are exposed to more ‘raw emotions’ than any other role in veterinary practice by virtue of the fact that they are usually the first point of contact clients have with the practice. This exposure is coupled with the fact that many clients interact with ‘unqualified’ frontline personnel differently to the veterinary surgeons. Whilst attitudes and interactions vary between practices and clients, feedback from BVRA members in their 2020 membership survey (www.bvra.co.uk) revealed how veterinary receptionists are exposed to disruptive behaviour as well as irate, and even abusive comments, and that these became more common with the social distancing measures instigated during the COVID pandemic. This session looks at what we can do to resolve and prevent the five most common client complaints made to veterinary receptionists.

In a joint article, the RCVS and the Veterinary Client Mediation Service explain how mediation and collaboration are at the heart of their new alternative dispute resolution trial.