We understand the frustration of patients who were not able to access appropriate care when they needed it, but we are clear that is never an excuse for abuse or violence against staff. The NHS has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and violence against its staff.
Our Practice staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and
circumstances. The Partners would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be
confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at
the same time. The staff understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable
manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or
complaint.
However there is no place for aggression, abuse, incivility, or any acts of violence in our society. If a person is violent, abusive or threatening to their GP or any general practice staff, they may be removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.
In order for the practice to maintain good relations with their patients the practice would
like to ask all its patients to read and take note of the occasional types of behaviour that
would be found unacceptable:
- Using bad language or swearing at practice staff
- Any physical violence towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or
other patients, such as pushing or shoving - Verbal abuse towards the staff in any form including verbally insulting the staff
- Racial abuse and sexual harassment will not be tolerated within this practice
- Homophobic and transphobic discrimination, harassment and abuse will
not be tolerated within the practice - Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted.
Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot - Causing damage/stealing from the Practice’s premises, staff or patients
- Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently
- We ask you to treat your GPs and their staff courteously at all times.
Removal from our Patient List
The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in
an impaired patient-practice relationship. We value and respect good patient-doctor
relationships, which are based on mutual respect and trust. When trust has irretrievably broken down, the practice will consider all factors before removing a patient from their list, and communicate to them that it is in the patient’s best interest that they should find a new
practice. An exception to this is in the case of immediate removal on the grounds of violence
e.g. when the Police are involved.
Removing other members of the household
Because of the possible need to visit patients at home, it may be necessary to terminate
responsibility for other members of the family or the entire household to ensure the safety
of practice staff.
The prospect of visiting patients that reside or are of a relative of, a patient who is no longer a patient of the practice, or the risk of being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is more likely
where the removed patient has been violent or displayed threatening behaviour, and
keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.
