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Prompted by a symposium on Medical Practice and the Growth of Litigation in the UK held at the RSE in 2000, a panel of experts, chaired by then RSE Vice-President Lord Ross, was established with the support of the Scottish Executive and the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, to explore whether mediation could help resolve disputes between patients and the health services in Scotland.

The Group took evidence from a range of professional organisations, public bodies and the general public within the United Kingdom. It also gathered evidence from a number of international jurisdictions.

The broad conclusion which it reached advocates the use of mediation as an advantageous option for resolving disputes between patients and the health services. This conclusion is underpinned by a range of specific recommendations contained in the Group’s report.