17 October 2003
The British Medical Association this week urged the government to act against aggressive patients after a survey revealed one in three doctors had experienced violence in the past year.
The BMA survey of almost 1,000 doctors found that nearly 50% believed physical or verbal violence was a problem in the workplace. Psychiatrists and doctors working in accident and emergency departments were most likely to be attacked.
A quarter of doctors believed there had been an increase in workplace violence in the past year. This was particularly the case for GPs.
Personal problems, dissatisfaction with the service provided, particularly long waits, and drugs or alcohol were among the leading causes of the attacks.
A patient's mother hit one doctor on the face with a mobile phone, while other doctors suffered abusive, racist and sexist remarks from patients or members of patients' families.
BMA chair James Johnson said: 'No-one working in a hospital or GP practice should have to put up with the threat of physical or verbal abuse. We're talking about people who go to work to try to alleviate pain and treat ill health.'
He said all health care staff should receive training in handling potentially violent situations, including methods of restraint and personal safety.
'Patients must be made aware of their responsibilities and that violence will not be tolerated. It should be compulsory to record violent incidents, and de-briefing or counselling facilities should be offered,' he added.
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