As a Practice we are aware that visiting your GP can, at times, be stressful and concerning. We always strive to meet patient expectation and deliver the highest standards of healthcare. For the vast majority of our patients we achieve this, despite the finite resources and steadily increasing demand for services that exists today within the NHS.
As an employer, the practice has a duty to care for staff and also has a legal responsibility to provide a safe and secure working environment. All patients are expected to behave in an acceptable manner and violent or abusive behaviour towards staff or patients may result in removal from our practice list or even criminal proceedings. The practice follows the NHS guidance concerning Zero Tolerance.
The practice will consider the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property. All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police.
Examples of unacceptable standards of behaviour
- Violence.
- Excessive noise eg recurrent loud or intrusive conversation or shouting.
- Threatening or abusive language involving swearing or offence remarks.
- Derogatory racial or sexual remarks.
- Malicious allegations relating to members of staff, other patients or visitors.
- Offensive sexual gestures or behaviours.
- Abusing alcohol or drugs on practice premises.
- Drug dealing on practice premises.
- Wilful damage to practice property.
- Threats or threatening behaviour.
- Theft
The Practice feels sure you will understand that proper behaviour is absolutely necessary for our staff and patients and that non observance will not be accepted.