Somerset NHS surgery has reported an increase in abusive and threatening behavior towards its staff.
Springmead Surgery in Chard, which provides primary care to 6,000 patients in Chard and surrounding areas, said disrespectful behavior has increased in recent weeks.
They noted that inappropriate and threatening comments towards staff were received from callers and operated patients, which occurred face to face and over the phone.
Summerfields Road Surgery, which received high marks in its May 2020 Quality of Care Commission inspection, said it takes “very seriously” when a staff member, doctor or nurse is treated in an “abusive or violent manner”.
A spokesperson for the surgery said: “While we understand that the current pandemic has affected us in different ways, we want to remind everyone that it doesn’t cost a thing to be kind and respectful.
“To provide these services successfully, mutual respect between all staff and patients must be in place.”
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The operation noted that it supported the government’s zero tolerance approach to violence against NHS staff, which was the NHS ‘first-ever violence reduction strategy when it was launched. was announced by Secretary of Health Matt Hancock in 2018.
The zero tolerance campaign aims to protect NHS staff from abuse and assault by patients, their families and the public, ensuring that offenders are punished.
The spokesperson for the surgery said, “All of our staff strive to be polite, helpful and sensitive to the individual needs and circumstances of all patients.
“They would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be faced with a multitude of varied and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time.
They noted that in cases where patients act unreasonably due to the disease, this is taken into consideration.
The operation concluded that violent or abusive behavior “will not be tolerated” and may result in the offender being removed from the list of surgeries or referred to the police in extreme cases.
The Springmead Surgery team is made up of doctors, nurses, health assistants and secretarial or reception staff.
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Source: www.somersetlive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-04-22 11:14:28
