To ask the Minister of Health whether senior management in Health and Social Care Trusts are tasked to facilitate mediation processes between employees, rather than human resources staff members.

All managers within Health and Social Care Trusts are required to have an active role in encouraging and enabling early resolution of concerns through facilitated conversations between employees in accordance with established HSC Trust policies and procedures. If escalated, the mediation process in HSC Trusts is managed and facilitated by Human Resources within these Trusts.

A range of trained mediators are utilised for formal mediation processes between employees which include, but are not limited to, senior managers and Human Resource staff. Where required, HSC Trusts may seek the services of external mediation providers through, for example, the HSC Leadership Centre.