THUG ATTACKS ON SURGERIES DOUBLE IN 5YRS
» GPs under attack » Staff quit in droves
ATTACKS at overstretched GP practices have doubled in five years, shock police data reveals.
There have also been rises in threatening behaviour, and stalking and harassment of doctors.
The British Medical Association says GPs bear the brunt of public anger over NHS delays, which are caused by staff shortages and Government underfunding.
The attacks and intimidation are causing staff to quit in droves. And one GP warned the situation is far worse than the police crime figures show.
Richard Vautrey, a doctor in Leeds, said they are only “the tip of a much, much bigger iceberg” of incidents and staff are often abused daily.
Figures from 32 of the UK’s 45 police forces, published in The BMJ journal, revealed the number of violent incidents at health centres and GP surgeries had increased from 586 in 2017/18 to 1,068 in 2021/22.
Within the figures, which include all forms of assault and harassment, there were 182 assaults that resulted in injury last year.
This is the highest for five years and almost double the 98 recorded in 2017/18. Offences such as threatening behaviour rose 24% last year, from 438 to 541, and was up 40% on five years ago. Stalking and harassment at GP surgeries have almost tripled in five years, with 223 instances last year compared to 85 in 2017/18.
BMA committee member Richard Van Mellaerts, a GP in Kingston, South West London, said: “I regularly hear abuse directed at reception staff in my practice, we’ve had to call the police several times in the last year.”
A Department of Health and Care spokesman said: “Deliberate violence or abuse directed at NHS staff, who continue to work tirelessly to provide care, is unacceptable.
“The NHS violence reduction programme aims to protect the workforce and ensure offenders are punished quickly and effectively.
“Security measures including CCTV, panic buttons and screens at reception have also been rolled out across GP surgeries.”
An NHS England spokesman said despite the actions of a minority, NHS workers are grateful for the public’s support in the past two years.