Prestigious royal award for MDU employee training programme
The excellence of the Medical Defence Union’s training for its membership team has once more been recognised by HRH the Princess Royal. The City and Guilds group has awarded the Medical Defence Union (MDU) with a Princess Royal Training award for its membership induction programme.
This is the ninth year of the awards and the fifth time the MDU’s training has been recognised by the prestigious awards. It follows the MDU redesigning the training programme to be more flexible to the needs of hybrid and remote workers and to ensure defined and clear career pathways for staff.
This in turn demonstrates the mutual membership organisation’s commitment to meeting ever changing and increasingly complex needs of its medical and dental members.
Commenting on the achievement, Craig Johnson MDU membership, learning and development manager, said:
“I am extremely proud that our employee induction programme has yet again been recognised for the excellent and innovative training it provides. Maintaining the right levels of knowledge and competency is of great importance to us in ensuring that our members receive an efficient and quality service. This is the foundation of all that we do and underlines our member focused ethos.
“During 2023 our team answered 110,000 calls with 78% answered within 20 seconds. In addition, we answered 100% of the 77,000 items of member correspondence within five days of receipt. We are focussed on employee’s learning and development, meaning many of our team develop long term careers across the organisation.”
Two MDU team members who have benefitted from the membership induction programme are Emma Kearney and Di Bryant. Emma commented:
“The training the MDU arranged for the membership services role was outstanding. There was a lot to learn and an assessment to pass but I felt fully supported by the coaching team. I love my role at the MDU, no day is ever the same and every day you are still always learning – I feel part of a bigger team. It is great to be able to support MDU members and to know it benefits them in supporting their patients.”
Di added: “I am based in the northwest of England while the MDU’s head office is in London. Fortunately, training and support for my role is provided remotely. I have childcare responsibilities, so the flexibility the MDU offers means a lot to me. It benefits MDU members who can get prompt, knowledgeable support when they need it.”